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BLUB    RIBBON 

OF 

THE  TURF 


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M«BiSfti*iwy 


THE 

BLUE    RIBBON 

OF 

THE  TURF 

A  CHRONICLE  OF  THE  RACE  FOR  THE  DERBY 


FROM  THE  VICTORY  OF  DIOMED,  I7S0,  TO  THAT  OP  SAINFOIN,  1890,  WITH  NOTES 
ON  THE  WINNING   HORSES,  THE   MEN   WHO   TRAINED  THEM,  THE  JOCKEYS 
WHO  RODE  THEM,  AND  THE  GENTLEMEN  TO  WHOM   THEY  BELONGED; 
ALSO  NOTICES  OF   THE  BETTING   AND   THE   BETTING   MEN  OF    THE 
PERIOD;     TOGETHER   WITH    AN   ACCOUNT   OF  THE  SURROUND- 
INGS  OF   THE  RACE,  AND    BRIEF   ACCOUNTS  OF  THE  OAKS 


BY 

LOUIS  HENRY  CURZON 


PHILADELPHIA 

GEBBIE  &  COMPANY 

1890 


$e^\jexn:5 


^ 


v>     '^ 


V 


PREFACE. 

When  the  hundredth  anniversary  of  the  Derhy  fell  to 
be  celebrated,  I  thought  we  might  then  see  announced 
a  history  of  the  turfs  most-coveted  prize.  But  the 
centenary  of  the  world-renowned  race  passed  over 
without  anyone  having  ventured  to  write  a  sketch 
of  its  history.  That  task  has  in  the  meantime  been 
left  to  me ;  and  has  been  a  pleasant  one,  although 
materials  for  a  chronicle  of  the  earlier  contests  have 
proved  scarce. 

I  have  made  several  vain  searches  to  procure  a  list 
of  '  entries  '  for  the  first  Derby  ;  fortunately,  however, 
the  names  of  the  runners  for  what  proved  to  be  the 
beginning  of  a  wonderful  series  of  fine  races  have  been 
preserved,  and  a  competent  authority  has  informed  me 
that  the  entries  for  the  premier  Derby  were  taken 
when  the  horses  were  '  two-3'^ear-olds,'  and  that  the 
gentlemen  promised  to  subscribe  again. 


vi  PREFACE. 

It  would  be  interesting  to  obtain  a  list  of  the  sub- 
scribers, and  the  names  and  pedigrees  of  the  animals 
named  for  the  race  ;  likewise,  some  information  of  the 
way  in  which  the  race  was  run  and  won.  All  I  have 
gleaned  is  inchided  in  the  following  pages,  so  that  the 
reader  may  s[)eedily  become  as  well  informed  on  the 
subject  as  the  writer. 

Could  early  commentators  have  foreseen  the 
future  magnitude  of  the  race,  and  that  in  course  of 
time  it  would  become  of  international  importance, 
the  public,  from  the  date  of  its  institution,  would 
doubtless  have  been  placed  in  possession  of  some 
curious  details  regarding  the  Derby  that  cannot  now 
be  obtained,  which  would  be  read  with  avidity,  not 
only  by  all  who  interest  themselves  in  the  affairs  of 
the  turf,  but  by  the  general  reader  as  well. 

A  countless  number  of  '  Derby '  sketches  have  been 
written  during  the  last  fifty  years,  many  of  which  are 
interesting;  but  I  think  I  am  correct  in  saying  that 
this  is  the  first  history  of  the  Derby  which  has  taken 
the  form  of  a  '  book,'  and  the  story  of  a  book  is  some- 
times said  to  be  of  even  greater  interest  than  the  book 
itself,  could  it  be  known.  That  is  a  saying  which 
many  will  endorse,  and  so  far  as  the  present   work 


PREFACE.  vii 

is  concerned,  there  can  be  no  objection  to  its  history 
being  told  :  it  is  simple  enough. 

The  author  longed  to  see  the  chief  incidents  of  the 
race  brought  into  focus,  as  well  as  some  account  of 
the  horses  running,  and  of  their  owners  and  jockeys ; 
also  details  of  the  betting,  and  the  hundred  and  one 
occurrences  which  have  taken  place  since  Diomed 
earned  the  first  '  Blue  Ribbon '  for  Sir  Charles  Bun- 
bury — '  hence  these  presents.* 

The  process  of  compiling  this  work  has  from  begin- 
ning to  end  been  a  labour  of  love  ;  as  a  matter  of  fact, 
it  has  been  '  dug '  out  of  old  newspapers  and  sporting 
records  of  many  kinds — calendars,  magazines,  and 
memoirs. 

By  the  time  the  Derby  begins  to  grow  old,  as  will 
be  gathered  from  a  perusal  of  the  following  pages, 
each  successive  year  presents  some  new  feature,  such 
as  the  timing  of  the  race,  the  opening  of  a  line  of 
railway  to  Epsom,  the  inauguration  of  a  Parliamentary 
debate  about  the  event,  and  the  first  use  of  the  tele- 
graph. Other  years  are  marked  by  other  incidents, 
such  as  the  Running  Rein  fraud,  the  Gladiateur 
triumph,  '  the  Bend  Or  scare,'  Fordham's  first  Derby 
victory,    etc.     Slight  sketches  of  the  pedigrees  and 


viii  PREFACE. 

performances  of  the  more  celebrated  horses  which 
have  won  the  race  are  also  given,  likewise  brief 
memoirs  and  anecdotes  of  many  of  their  owners, 
trainers,  and  riders. 

Information  about  bets  and  betting  men,  Derby 
dreams  and  omens,  and  money  won  on  Epsom  Heath,  are 
included  in  the  following  pages,  and  the  writer  trusts 
that  in  recording  what  he  knows  he  will  not  be  accused 
of  chronicling  small-beer,  his  opinion  being  that  all 
that  can  be  said  regarding  our  national  racing  holiday, 
and  the  event  which  has  given  it  birth,  is  worth  saying. 

In  conclusion,  all  the  author  claims  for  this 
book  is  that,  so  far  as  it  goes,  it  is  a  painstaking 
record  of  our  chief  Isthmian  game.  There  are  men, 
however,  engaged  on  the  sporting  press  of  the  period 
who  could  probably  write  a  fuller  and  better  history 
— only  they  have  made  no  sign  of  doing  so. 

Mayfair, 

Aiml  2bth,  1890.) 


CONTENTS. 

PAOK 

a  pkeliminaiiy  canter     -----  1 

financial  aspects  of  the  race  for  the  *  clue  ribbon'  17 

men  who  have  won  the  derby            -           .            -  37 

derby  and  other  jockeys          -           -           -           -  c3 

jockeys  who  have  won  the  derby      -           -           -  94 

trainers  of  derby  and  other  horses-            ,-            -  97 

'tattersai.l's'        -            -            -            -            -            -  108 

TOUTS   AND   tipsters                -                -                -                -                -  120 

'the   FRENCH   YEAR,'    1805-                ....  ]42 

'the   AMERICAN   YEAR,'    1881              ....  154 

BOOKMAKING  -  -  -  -  -  -170 

WHO   SETS   THE    MARKET  ?    -                -                -                -                .  184 

DERBYANA     .----..  214 

A   CHRONICLE   OF   THE    DERBY            •                -               -                .  227 

ix 


THE 

BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

A  PRELIMINARY  CANTER. 

I. 

The  Derby,  in  name  at  least,  is  still  the  greatest  racing 
event  of  the  English  turf;  it  is  not,  however,  our 
oldest  existing  race,  the  St.  Leger  having  been  insti- 
tuted in  the  year  1776.  The  Oaks  also  takes  prece- 
dence of  the  '  Blue  Ribbon,'  being  a  year  older. 

It  was  in  1780  that  the  first  Derby  Avas  run,  the 
prize  being  won  by  Sir  Charles  Ihmburj^  the  name  of 
the  victorious  horse  being  Diomed ;  the  same  gentle- 
man was  so  fortunate  as  to  win  again  in  the  year  1801, 
v/ith  his  mare  Eleanor,  which  also  won  the  Oaks,  now 
sometimes  fancifully  designated  '  the  Garter  of  the 
Turf.'  ]\Iuch  that  has  been  written  about  the  earlier 
races  for  the  Derby  is  indebted  chiefly  to  the  imagina- 
tion of  the  writers,  facts  being  scarce. 

The  race  was  named  after  the  Earl  of  Derby,  but 
on  the  earlier  occasions  of  its  recurrence  attracted 
almost  no  attention,  its  decision  eliciting  onl}'  a 
bare    record    in   such    newspapers    of  the   period   as 

1 


2  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

condescended  to  chronicle  events  of  the  turf:  nor  for 
many  years  was  it  otherwise,  the  Derby  not  ohtainino-, 
in  common  with  other  races,  more  than  a  bald 
record. 

Seeing  that  more  than  a  century  has  passed  away 
since  the  race  was  instituted,  it  would  be  most  in- 
teresting to  know  the  year  in  which  any  person  now 
living  first  saw  the  Derby  run  for.  Is  it  possible,  for  in- 
stance, that  anj'one  is  still  living  who  saw  the  Duke  of 
Grafton's  Whalebone  win  the  '  Blue  Ribbon '  in  1810  ? 
If  so,  that  person,  who  will  now  have  passed  the  age  of 
sevent3?-nine  years,  must  have  been  a  mere  child,  but 
it  is  not  of  course  impossible  that  some  octogenarian 
may  to-day  be  alive  who  witnessed  the  race  for  the 
Derb}^  of  the  year  named.  Selecting  the  races  of 
later  years,  the  chances  of  some  of  those  having  been 
witnessed  by  persons  now  living  are  much  increased. 
In  the  year  in  which  the  battle  of  Waterloo  was 
fought  (1815),  Whisker  won  the  Deiby.  Seventy-five 
3'ears  have  elapsed  since  that  memorable  battle  took 
place,  but  not  long  ago  paragraphs  were  going  the 
round  of  the  press  about  'Waterloo  veterans  '  being 
still  in  life,  and  so  it  may  well  be  that  persons  are 
yet  among  us  who  witnessed  some  Derby  victories 
of  the  3^ears  beginning,  say,  with  1825.  It  would  be 
of  exceeding  interest  to  find  out  and  know  something 
about  the  person  or  persons  now  living  who  were  pre- 
sent to  see  the  Derby  run,  say,  even  sixty  years  since. 

When  the  great  race  was  instituted  newspapers  were 
not  numerous,  and  'news'  was  much  scarcer  than  to- 
day, not  much,  apparently,  being  'made'  of  such  passing 
events  as  were  thought  worthy  of  the  brief  chronicles 


A  PRELIMINAR  V  CANTER.  3 

of  the  time  ;  racing  news,  in  particular,  being  recorded 
— when  it  was  recorded — in  the  baldest  manner,  prob- 
ably for  the  best  of  all  reasons,  namely,  that  few  cared 
for  it,  the  racing  public  of  the  period  not  being  numer- 
ous. Many  years  elapsed,  therefore,  before  the  Derby 
came  to  be  looked  upon  as  something  in  the  nature  of 
a  national  event,  or  till  it  assumed  the  phase  under 
which  it  is  now  so  Avell  known,  of  a  great  social  func- 
tion, interesting  to  hundreds  of  thousands,  the  result 
of  the  race  being  telegraphed  on  its  decision,  without 
a  moment's  delay,  to  the  uttermost  ends  of  the  earth ! 

It  was  not  till  Bell's  Life  in  London  began  to  be 
published  that  people  came  to  single  out  the  race  f(  r 
the  Derby,  and  make  so  much  of  it.  After-the  advent 
of  that  newspaper,  for  many  years  the  leading  authority 
on  matters  of  sport  in  the  United  Kingdom,  'the  Derby' 
became  a  household  word,  and  annually  grew  in 
favour,  till  it  attained  the  importance  of  a  national 
event ;  but  the  exact  date  at  which  '  The  Derby  '  be- 
came the  much-observed  public  festival  wdiich  it 
undoubtedly  is  at  the  present  day,  and  has  been  for  about 
two  generations  past,  cannot  be  given  with  any  degree 
of  certainty.  Nor  does  it  avail  to  speculate  on  the 
subject — any  ancient  onlooker  of  the  spectacle  who 
can  be  interviewed  has  only  one  reply  when  his 
opinion  is  asked  :  he  says, '  It  was  always  so,'  but,  like 
*  Topsy,'  the  Derby  has  '  growed/  until  it  has  reached 
its  present  dimensions. 

In  another  part  of  this  work  it  is  shown  how  the 
race,  as  a  race,  has  expanded  in  the  matter  of  entries 
and  competitors,  from  its  first  small  beginnings  till 
now,  when  to  be  entered  for  a  struggle  timed  to  take 

1—2 


4  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

place  two  years  afterwards  confers  a  distinct  value  on 
a  horse,  which  neither  its  birth  nor  its  '  form '  can  do, 

'What  is  the  use  of  purchasing  su3h  an  aniraal  ?'  has 
been  said ;  '  it  is  not  entered  in  any  of  the  classic  races. 
I  should  not  be  able  to  run  it  either  for  the  Derb}'  or 
St.  Leger.' 

It  is  difficult  now  to  find  persons  who  were  at 
Epsom  sixty  3'ears  since.  When  found — there  cannot 
be  very  many  of  them  living — they  give  solemn  assur- 
ance that  'it  was  always  so,'  that  tlicre  were  always 
similar  vast  crowds  of  spectators,  and  the  same  irre- 
pressible excitement  as  '  they '  came  round  the  corner. 
'  I  saw  Priam  win,  sir,'  said  an  old  stableman  to  the 
writer;  'there  uas  a  great  big  crowd,  and  it  was  a 
most  exciting  affair.  The  people  seemed  to  be  all 
raving  mad  as  the  field  was  a-coming  in,  they  shouted 
so  terrible  hard  ;  there  were  thousands  upon  thousands 
on  the  Downs,  and  scores  of  pigeons  Avent  up  in  the 
air  half  a  minute  after  the  race.' 

Such  statements  must,  however,  be  taken  with  due 
allowance  for  exaggeration  as  well  as  decay  of  memory. 
In  the  year  1830,  when  Priam  won,  there  would  not  prob- 
ably be  tens  present  on  the  Downs  at  Epsom  for  the  hun- 
dreds of  to-day.  No  means  of  transporting  thither  such 
crowds  as  now  witness  the  race  could,  in  the  days  of 
Priam,  be  called  into  requisition.  It  being  now  more 
than  fifty-nine  years  since  the  date  of  Priam's  victory, 
it  is  open  to  question  if  there  will  be  even  one  person 
out  of  every  two  hundred  alive  this  day  who  would  be 
on  Epsom  Downs  on  that  occasion.  Assuming  that 
thirty  thousand  people  assembled  to  witness  the  great 
racing  drama  of  1880,  less  than  two  hundred  of  that 


A  PRELIMINAR  Y  CANTER.  5 

number  will  now  be  liviii"', '  if,  indeed,  tbere  be  so 
many.  And  the  roll-call  of  those  who  were  eye- 
witnesses of  any  previous  struggle  for  the  '  Blue 
Ribbon  of  the  Turf '  must  be  meagre  indeed,  although 
every  now  and  again  the  newspapers  of  the  day  con- 
tain allusions  to  persons  who  saw  '  such  and  such  a 
Derby,'  naming  a  far-back  race.  In  Bluegown's  year 
(1868),  the  author  of  this  work  conversed  with  a 
person  who  had  seen  Pan,  Pope,  and  Whalebone  win, 
which  victories  took  place  in  1808,  1803,  and  1810 
respectively.  The  person  in  question  was  then  travel- 
ling with  his  parents,  who  were  members  of  a  troupe 
of  strolling  players,  and  at  the  time  he  was  about 
seven  years  of  age.  There  seemed  to  be  no  reason  to 
doubt  his  story.  On  one  of  the  occasions  the  then 
Duke  of  Grafton,  who  came  to  the  theatre,  somewhere 
in  the  neighbourhood,  gave  every  member  of  the 
strolling  company  a  half-sovereign. 

II. 

The  fjreat  race  and  its  surroundinofs  have  been 
written  about  from  every  possible  point  of  view.  All 
that  can  be  seen  on  the  road  to  Epsom  Downs  has 
been  many  a  time  related  in  graphic  language.  The 
*  tramp '  overtaken  on  the  road  by  the  zealous  re- 
porter has  been  interviewed  in  the  interests  of  his 
paper,  while  the  'lovely  costumes  '  of  the  occupants  of 
the  luxurious  carriages  careering  to  the  scene  of  sport 
have  been  painted  in  the  brightest  of  colours  by  ready 
penholders.  The  scenes  at  the  railwi^y-stations  before 
and  after  the  race  have  annually  made  work  for  the 


6  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

pens  of  '  special  corresj^ondents,'  and  if  all  tales  be 
true,  some  of  these  slaves  of  the  pen  have  been  clever 
enough  to  describe  the  scenes  without  seeing  them. 
Most  London  and  provincial  pressmen  have  at  one 
time  or  another  '  done  the  Derb}'.'  It  is  an  open 
secret,  indeed,  that  not  a  few  of  the  men  who  have 
been  or  are  eminent  in  literature — poets  as  well  as 
writers  of  prose — have  used  their  pens  in  writing  a 
sketch  of  the  Derby  Day. 

Journ;ds  which  are  specially  devoted  to  our  national 
sports  and  pastimes  make  a  point  of  giving  long 
descriptions  of  the  race  and  its  surroundings.  But 
the  writings  of  the  period  lack  the  '  go  '  of  olden 
times ;  the  '  Sunday  gallops '  no  longer  take  place ; 
the  public,  in  fact,  do  not  want  them.  Times  have 
changed  in  these  respects.  The  'form '  of  almost  every 
horse  that  is  to  compete  is  known  to  an  ounce,  having 
been  discounted  by  its  two-year-old  running,  whilst 
the  touts  and  prophets  of  the  period  keep  up  for  the 
benefit  of  all  concerned  a  perpetual  current  of  infor- 
mation as  to  what  is  being  done  on  the  various  train- 
ing-grounds. Still,  the  old  story  is  well  continued ; 
incidents  of  the  most  varied  kind  crop  up  for  the 
benefit  of  the  industrious  reporters ;  casualties  are 
ever  occurring :  it  must  be  so  whenever  and  wher- 
ever a  hundred  thousand  people  gather  together. 
There  is  the  Derby  dog  and  the  Derby  suicide ;  there 
are  also  the  Derby  pickpockets  and  the  Derby  welshers 
to  write  about,  and,  although  the  glories  of  the  road 
have  so  far  faded,  and  the  abundant  chaff  and  horse- 
play which  were  at  one  time  incidental  to  the  journey 
have  been  toned  down,  something  smart  and  spicy  can 


A  PRELIMINARY  CANTER.  7 

yet  be  worked  up  about  the  conveyance  by  rail,  the 
imaginative  powers  of  some  writers  in  this  line  of  busi- 
ness not  having  become  impaired  b}'  constantly  work- 
ing the  same  mine  of  thought.  A  well-known  London 
editor  preferred,  he  said,  the  'copy'  of  Mr.  Blossom, 
because,  being  a  work  of  the  imagination,  it  contained 
sayings  and  doings  of  the  Derby  Day  that  gave  plea- 
sure to  the  readers  of  his  paper  far  beyond  what  they 
would  have  appreciated  had  the  narrative  been  one 
of  real  facts  and  occurrences,  no  matter  how  sensa- 
tional. 

The  social  aspects  of  the  Derby,  which  has  been 
characterized  as  one  vast  picnic,  have  no  doubt  been 
so  largely  drawn  upon  by  those  whose  duty  it  is 
to  describe  them  as  to  be  pretty  well  used  up ;  but 
when  the  people  of  the  period,  their  sayings  and  their 
doings,  fail  to  afford  pabulum  to  the  penny-a-liner, 
the  historic  bearings  of  the  race  can  be  called  into 
play — the  reader  can  be  reminded  that  in  the  year 
when  the  first  Derby  was  run  (1780)  King  George  III. 
was  on  the  throne,  whilst  Lord  North  was  his  Prime 
Minister  as  well  as  his  Chancellor  of  the  Exchequer.  A 
feature  of  the  first  year  of  the  race  can  also  be  recalled 
— the  Gordon  Riots — and  the  great  facts  that  London 
at  that  time  was  without  gas,  and  that  neither  telegraph- 
wire  nor  telephone,  which  are  now  called  into  such 
requisition  on  the  Derby  Day,  had  been  thought  of, 
can  be  made  to  yield  some  capital  to  the  Derby 
describer.  That  there  were  no  steamboats  and  no 
railways,  no  scheme  of  universal  penny  postage,  and 
that  a  hundred  other  things  which  have  since  come  to 
pass,  and  which  cannot  now  be  done   without,  wero 


8  777^  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

lacking  in  the  year  1780,  can  all  be  utilized  to  adorn 
the  necessary  article  on  the  Derby,  which  might  also 
embrace  the  social  changes  that  have  occurred  in  the 
course  of  a  hundred  years. 

The  popularity  of  the  Derby  as  a  sight  for  the 
people,  as  has  been  indicated,  was  of  slow  growth. 
The  century  was  advancing  before  it  began  to 
attract  the  attention  of  non-racing  persons,  and  when 
it  had  to  some  extent  obtained  the  notice  of  the  mob, 
it  was  preached  against  and  denounced  as  a  scene  of 
sinfulness,  the  crowd  gazing  on  the  race  being  stigma- 
tized as  a  o-atherim?  of  unmitisrated  blacksruards.  Not 
till  many  years  after  the  race  had  been  established  did 
thirty  thousand  persons  gather  on  the  Downs  of  Epsom 
to  witness  the  excitins?  stru^fRle  for  the  '  Blue  Ribbon  of 
the  Turf.'  Now  five  times  that  number,  it  is  said, 
assemble  to  witness  the  Derbj',  and  the  *  House ' 
adjourns  for  the  occasion.  The  visit  of  her  Majesty 
and  Prince  Albert  the  Good  to  Epsom  on  the  Derby 
Day  gave  a  tillip  to  the  attendance  in  future  years.  The 
Queen  having  set  the  example,  tens  of  thousands  of  her 
loyal  subjects  followed  in  her  wake.  Persons  who  had 
previously  thought  '  the  Derby '  to  be  a  very  vulgar 
institution,  after  her  Majesty's  patronage  saw  it  in  a 
different  light,  and  followed  up  the  royal  visit  with 
great  assiduity,  some  even  of  the  '  utterly  re- 
spectable snatching  a  fearful  joy  in  beholding  the 
mighty  assemblage  of  Epsom  Downs.  As  the  various 
lines  of  railways  were  constructed,  additional  tens  of 
thousands  were  borne  to  the  race-course,  and  from 
about  1840  the  annual  attendance  began  to  be  largely 
augmented.   The  cheap  newspaper  movement  gave  the 


A  PRELIMINARY  CANTER.  9 

race  its  next  fillip,  the  conductors  of  the  penn}^  papers 
devoting  themselves  to  the  event ;  and  as  these  publi- 
cations soon  attained  a  large  circulation,  compared 
with  the  old-style  journals,  the  Derby  was  brought 
home  to  still  additional  thousands.  The  cheap  press 
for  some  years  revelled  in  the  fun,  frolic  and  fraud 
incidental  to  the  great  event.  No  diminution  has 
taken  place  in  the  crowd — every  year  finds  a  greater 
number  of  persons  at  Epsom  than  ever  assembled 
before,  and  year  after  year  we  hear  the  same  rendhig 
shout  of  'They're  off!'  or  'The  favourite's  beat!' 
There  are  the  same  passions  and  excitements  con- 
nected with  the  Derby  of  to-day  as  with  the  struggle 
of  fifty  years  ago  ;  the  vast  crowds  of  faces  on  the 
numerous  stands  still  turn  with  one  accord  to  welcome 
the  equine  combatants  as  they  stream  round  Tattenham 
Corner  ;  the  mad  career  of  the  horses  as  they  gallop  to 
the  winning  post  is  still  watched  with  breathless  atten- 
tion for  a  moment  or  two  by  most  of  the  crowd.  The 
race  scarcely  takes  three  minutes,  and  during  the  last 
thirty  seconds  of  that  period  the  excitement  to  some 
of  the  spectators  is  of  the  intensest  description,  even 
though  they  may  not  have  risked  half-a-crown  on  the 
result.  Others  who  have  gambled  heavily  on  the 
race,  and  have  thousands  at  stake,  may  well  be 
excused  for  feeling  anxious,  although  there  are  many 
who  can  win  or  lose  lar^^e  sums  with  the  (greatest 
equanimity.  Still,  it  is  a  relief  to  all  when  the  race  is 
won  and  the  shouting  is  over,  and  when  those  most 
interested  know  the  best  or  the  worst  of  the  event. 

One  feature  of  the  changing  years  which  marks  the 
Derby,  and  indeed  all  other  races,  is  the  celerity  with 


lo  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

wbicli  the  result  is  now  made  known  all  over  the 
world.  It  is  the  work  of  moments.  No  sooner  is  the 
number  of  the  winning  horse  displayed  on  the  signal- 
board  than  the  electric  flash  conveys  to  London  the 
ansioLisly-waited-for  intelligence  ;  if  the  race  has  been 
won  without  doubt,  the  news  will  be  in  London,  and 
perhaps  in  Manchester  or  Birmingham,  and  many 
other  places  as  well,  in  a  moment  or  two.  By  a  dex- 
terous motion  a  telegraph-clerk  can  communicate  with 
a  sporting  chum  at  Edinburgh  or  Glasgow,  and  that 
chum  can  speedily  find  ways  and  means  to  convey 
the  news  to  friends  long — that  is,  a  minute  or  two 
■ — before  any  message  can  be  delivered.  A  few  years 
ago  the  name  of  the  Derby  winner  was  known  in  a 
small  provincial  town  in  Scotland  within  a  period  of 
seven  minutes  of  the  race  being  run;  and  in  Edin- 
burgh, in  some  years,  the  result  has  been  talked  of  on 
the  streets  within  nine  minutes  after  the  race  has 
been  decided.  In  Manchester,  Liverpool,  Glasgow, 
and  other  towns,  editions  of  the  evening  papers  are 
issued  on  Derby  Day  often  within  ten  minutes  after 
the  struggle  has  taken  place.  The  result  of  the  Derby 
is  known  in  Paris  almost  as  soon  as  it  is  in  London. 
That  the  name  of  the  winner  is  wired  to  America 
and  India,  and  known  in  Bombay  and  New  York  with 
great  celerity,  is  a  matter  of  annually  recurring  gossip. 
The  '  Iropertow,'  that  denoted  the  first  three  in  the 
American  Year,  was  in  the  New  York  clubs  a  few 
minutes  after  the  event.  The  word  quoted  gave  in 
abbreviated  form  the  names  of  the  first  three  which 
passed  the  post — Iroquois,  Peregrine,  and  Town  Moor. 


A  PRELIMINARY  CANTER.  ii 

III. 

The  race  for  the  Derby,  as  all  interested  in  it  know, 
takes  place  on  the  Downs  of  Epsom.  The  origin  of 
horse-racing  at  this  once  fashionable  resort  cannot  be 
determined  by  a  date  ;  some  say  that  the  sport  began 
there  in  the  reisfn  of  James  I.,  who  on  various  occa- 
sions  resided  at  'The  Waters'  for  th^  benefit  of  his 
health,  and  also  to  enjoy  the  gay  society  which  assem- 
bled at  that  resort.  The  King  dwelt  in  the  Palace  of 
Nonsuch,  and  passed  a  portion  of  his  time  in  hunting 
and  other  pastimes  in  which  the  '  noble  animal '  plays 
a  part,  the  probability  being  that  'horse  matches'  were 
frequently  got  up  for  his  entertainment. 

Evidence  is  in  existence  to  show  that  races  were  run 
on  Banstead  Downs  as  early  as  1G48,  during  the  latter 
part  of  the  reign  of  Charles  I.  At  all  events,  there  is 
to  be  found  in  the  literature  of  the  period  various  re- 
ferences to  the  pastime.  Pepys,  for  instance,  laments 
his  inability  to  be  present  at  a  Derby  of  his  day.  In 
his  diary  for  September  11th,  1G60,  he  says:  'The  Duke 
of  York  did  go  to-day  by  break  of  day  to  the  Downs ;' 
and  on  May  27th,  1663,  he  records:  'This  day  there  was 
a  ffreat  thronging  to  Banstead  Downs,  upon  a  great 
horse-race  and  foot-race.  I  am  sorry  I  could  not  go 
thither.'  Another  entry  referring  to  racing  is  dated 
July  25th  of  the  same  ^'ear ;  it  is  the  following : 
*  Having  intended  this  day  to  go  to  Banstead  Downs 
to  see  a  famous  race,  I  sent  Will  to  get  himself  ready 
to  go  with  me ;  but  I  hear  it  is  put  off,  because  the 
Lords  do  sit  in  Parliament  to-day.'  In  '  Baily's 
Register '  there  is  a  notice  of  racing  on  the  2nd,  3rd, 


12  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

and  Gth  of  May,  1727,  when  a  Give-and-Take  Plate  of 
GO  guineas,  a  plate  of  40  guineas,  and  a  gold  cup  value 
40  guineas,  were  all  run  for.  In  the  following  year  a 
race  for  a  plate  of  30  guineas  for  horses  that  never  rau 
before  was  won  by  the  Duke  of  Hamilton's  Costly. 
No  other  event  is  recorded  till  ]  732,  when  two  races 
took  place  on  May  9th  and  13th  respectively — both 
purses  for  30  guineas.  From  the  date  of  1730  racing 
was  continued  annually  at  Epsom,  and  carried  on 
with  regularity. 

In  those  times,  both  at  Epsom  and  elsewhere,  the 
day's  racing  was  always  interrupted  by  dinner.  Sport 
began  at  11  o'clock;  and  as  soon  as  a  couple  of  heats 
had  been  decided,  the  compan}'-  adjourned  from  the 
racecourse  to  the  town,  wliere  dinners  were  served,  after 
which  racing  was  resumed  in  the  afternoon  for  an  hour 
or  two. 

The  social  customs  which  began  in  those  early  racing 
days  were  kept  up  for  more  than  a  century.  In  182-i 
Mr.  Apperly  ('  Nimrod ')  in  alluding  to  the  dining 
customs,  says  :  '  Chester,  however,  as  a  convivial  meet- 
ing is  not  what  Chester  was.  The  chilling  stream  of 
refinement  has  passed  over  every  corner  of  the  empire; 
and  neither  a  Welsh  nor  Cheshire  squire  can  now  be 
so  vulgar  as  to  be  .seen  on  a  racecourse  after  he  has 
had  his  dinner.  The  two  o'clock  ordinaries,  formerly 
so  well  aitended,  and  where  so  much  mirth  and  good 
fellowship  prevailed,  are  all  knocked  on  the  head,  and 
private  parties  substituted  in  their  room.  The  ofhco 
of  steward  appears  almost  a  sinecure,  and,  for  my  own 
part,  I  never  knew  who  they  were  till  the  races  were 
almost  over;  instead  of,  as  in  former  days,  having 


A  PRELIMINARY  CANTER.  13 

drunk  their  health  every  day  in  the  week  with  "  three 
times  three." ' 

In  1730  the  following  very  curt  description  of  the 
Epsom  course  appears  in  '  Magna  Britannia :'  '  On  the 
Downs  is  a  four-mile  course  for  horse-races,  from  N.E. 
to  S.W.,  which  is  much  frequented.'  After  the  date 
mentioned  the  contests  brought  off  at  Epsom  con- 
tinued to  increase  in  importance.  In  1736  five  days' 
racing  took  place  at  intervals,  viz. :  on  May  3rd,  5th, 
8th,20th,and  22nd.  In  1746, ten  years  afterwards, there 
Avas  run  on  May  5th  his  Royal  Highness  the  Prince  of 
Wales's  Plate  of  50  guineas  ;  on  May  6th  £50  was 
given  for  a  four-year-old  race  ;  on  the  7th  a  plate  of 
£50 ;  on  the  9th  £50  ;  on  the  10th  £50.  The  total 
sum  run  for  in  1756,  at  Epsom,  was  £200,  divided  into 
four  sums  of  £50.  In  1766  there  were  five  races  of 
£50  each  decided  at  Epsom.  In  May,  1766,  there  were 
again  four  days' racing.  In  an  October  meeting  which 
had  been  instituted  that  year  the  following  incident  is 
chronicled  :  '  A  curious  accident  befell  the  jockey  who 
rode  the  Avinner  of  the  Sweepstakes.  Just  before  he 
came  in  at  the  winning-post,  being  crossed  by  a  gentle- 
man on  horseback,  the  rider  Avas  thrown,  but  his  lesf 
hanging  in  the  stirrup,  the  horse,  of  course,  carried  his 
Aveight  in,  and  Avon  miraculously,  Avithout  hurting  his 
rider.' 

More  than  a  hundred  years  ago  (1782)  two  meetings 
were  held  at  Epsom,  one  in  May  and  one  in  October. 
The  following  is  the  rubric  of  the  races  run  in  that 
year,  which  concludes  all  that  need  be  said  about 
PZpsom. 

May  8th  :  The  Noblemen  and  Gentlemen's  Pia'se  of 


14  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

£50,  for  five-3^ear-ol(]s,  8  st.,  six-year-olds,  8  st.  9  lb., 
and  aged,  9  st.,  mares  and  fillies  allowed  3  lb. ;  for  all 
the  plates,  four-mile  heats. 

9th  :  The  Derby  Stakes  of  50  guineas  each,  h.  ft.  for 
three-year-olds,  colts  8  st.,  and  fillies  7  st.  11  lb. ;  the 
last  mile.  The  owner  of  the  second  horse  received 
100  guineas  out  of  the  stakes. 

The  Ladies'  Plate  of  £50  for  four-year-olds,  8  st. 
7  Ih. :  two-mile  heats. 

10th :  The  Oaks  Stakes  of  50  guineas  each,  40 
guineas  forfeit,  for  three-year- old  fillies,  8  st.  4  lb. 
The  owner  of  the  second  filly  received  100  guineas  out 
of  the  stakes.     The  last  mile  and  a  half. 

Lord  Egremont's  f.  by  Herod  out  of  Maiden,  8  st., 
beat  Wr.  Parker's  Ileptile,  7  st.  13  lb.;  last  mile,  100 
guineas. 

Mr.  Douglas's  Catch,  7  st.  11  lb.,  beat  Lord  Foley's 
Lausus,  8  St.  2  lb. ;  last  mile,  50  guineas. 

The  Noblemen  and  Gentlemen's  Parse  of  £50;  four- 
mile  heats. 

11th:  The  Town  Purse  of  £50  ;  two-mile  heats. 

A  Sweepstakes  of  10  guineas  each  for  three-3'ear- 
olds,  colts  8  St.,  and  fillies  7  st.  12  lb. ;  the  last  mile. 

October  24th  :  £cO  for  four-year-olds ;  three-mile 
heats. 

25th  :  The  Ladies'  Plate  of  £50,  for  three-year-olds ; 
two-mile  heats. 

26th:  The  Town  Plate  of  £50;  two-mile  heats. 

The  chief  seats  of  racing  at  the  present  time,  in  so 
far  as  the  attendance  of  the  public  is  concerned,  are 
undoubtedly  Epsom,  Manchester,  and  Ascot,  as  also 
Goodwood  and   Sandown   Park.      At  Liverpool  and 


A  PRELIMINARY  CAXTER.  15 

Gosforth(Ne\vcastle-on-Tyne)immensemassesof  people 
assemble  to  witness  ceitain  races,  more  especially  the 
Liverpool  Grand  National  Steeplechase  and  the  North- 
umberland Plate,  which  has  been  called  the  '  Pitmen's 
Derby.'  Bat  it  is  not  necessary  that  every  seat  of  racing 
sport  should  be  described  or  referred  to  in  this  work ; 
two  or  three  places  will  be  quite  sufficient  to  represent 
the  whole:  E{isom,  as  bemg  an  outlet  for  the  immense 
population  of  the  great  Metropolis;  Ascot,  for  the  excel- 
lence of  its  sport,  and  the  rich  nature  of  its  prizes;  Good- 
wood, as  a  picture  of  society  enjoying  a  grand  picnic  ; 
and  Manchester,  as  the  largest  gate-mone}' meeting  in 
connection  with  the  sport  of  horse-racing  in  Great 
Britam. 

Tne  racing  at  Epsom  has,  fortunately  for  those 
having  the  greatest  pecimiary  interest  in  the  sport, 
become  endowed  with  the  great  centrepiece  of  '  the 
Derby '  to  attract  all  the  world  to  the  Dov/ns.  Lord 
Palmerston  spoke  of  the  races  at  Epsom  as  our 
'Isthmian  games,'  although  a  ciown  of  parsley  would 
be  esteemed  a  very  poor  reward  by  the  man  who  won 
the  big  race — which  has  been  felicitously  named  the 
'  Blue  Piibbon  of  the  Turf,'  and  is  a  prize  which  is 
longed  for  by  every  man  who  plays  a  part  on  the  turf. 

After  the  year  1820  the  Derby  became  of  note ;  pre- 
vious to  that  year  its  popularity  had  been  of  slow 
growth,  but  during  the  fifty  years  between  1820  and 
1870  its  importance  had  increased  so  largely  as  to 
perceptibly  diminish  the  vast  population  of  London  on 
the  day  on  which  the  race  was  run.  It  gives  occasion 
for  what  may  be  termed  a  'gigantic'  holiday  for  the 
lower  and  middle  classes  of  the  Modern  Babylon  and 


i6  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

its  neiohbourhood.  Some  writers  tell  us  that  the 
glories  of  the  Derby  are  beginning  to  wane,  and  that 
in  a  few  3'ears  it  will  be  shorn  of  its  interest.  It  may 
be  so,  but  in  the  meantime  the  evidence  is  very  much 
the  other  way.  A  few  years  ago  the  value  of  the 
Derby  stake  exceeded  S3vi3-a  thousand  pounds.  Nor 
has  the  attendance  of  tne  public  diminished  on  the 
great  holiday.  In  1SS5  it  was  said  to  be  the  best  on 
record,  and  the  takings  at  the  Grand  Stand  entrance 
were  plethoric.  Certainly  the  Derby  may,  in  time, 
lose  some  of  the  interest  which  attaches  to  it,  seeing 
that  there  are  now  so  many  good  meetings  held  in  the 
immediate  vicinity  of  the  great  city ;  but  there  will 
still  remain  an  immense  number  of  thousands  who 
will  never  see  any  other  races  than  those  which  talc3 
place  on  the  Derby  Day. 


FINANCIAL  ASPECTS  OF  THE  RACE  FOR  THE 
'BLUE  RIBBON.' 

I. 

It  is  not  a  little  surprising-  that  a  period  of  over  a 
hundred  years  should  have  been  allowed  to  elapse 
without  those  who  for  so  loner  a  time  have  derived  a 
handsome  profit  from  the  running  of  tiie  Derby  being 
peremptorily  called  upon  to  augment  the  stakes. 
Year  after  year  owners  have  generously  continued  to 
enter,  at  considerable  cost  to  themselves,  from  one  to 
ten  horses.  The  purse  so  obtained  has,  of  course,  at 
times  been  pretty  well  filled,  as  on  several  occasions 
the  sum  run  for  has  amounted  to  £6,000,  and  even  as 
much  as  £7,000,  not  one  penny  of  which  was  provided  by 
the  Grand  Stand  Company.  But,  impelled  no  doubt 
by  the  force  of  public  opinion,  the  authorities  of 
Epsom  have  so  far  accommodated  themselves  to  the 
spirit  of  the  times  as  to  have  ventured  on  a  new  de- 
parture in  respect  of  the  monetary  and  other  conditions 
which  shall  in  future  govern  the  great  race.  The  new 
rules  come  into  operation  this  year  (1890);  and  what 
has  been  conceded  may  be  gathered  from  the  following 
copy  of  the  terms  on  which  it  is  to  be  run : 

'Epsom,  1890 — Wednesday:   The  Derby  Stakes  of 

2 


l8  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

5,000  sovs.  for  the  winner,  500  sovs.  for  the  nominator 
of  the  winner,  SOO  sovs.  for  the  owner  of  the  second, 
and  200  sovs,  for  the  owner  of  the  third,  Colts  9  st, 
tilhes  8  St.  9  lb.,  then  three-year-olds  ;  by  subscription 
of  50  sovs,  each  ;  half  forfeit  if  declared  by  the  first 
Tuesday  in  January,  1890,  and  10  sovs,  only  if  de- 
clared by  the  first  Tuesday  in  January,  1889;  any 
surplus  to  be  ^J'tid  to  the  v»-innGr.  About  a. mile  and  a 
half,  starting  at  the  high-level  starting-post.  237  sub- 
scribers;  closed  July  10th,  1888.' 

These  new  conditions  are  certainly  an  improvement 
on  those  which  up  till  this  time  have  governed  the 
finance  of  the  Derby,  As  all  who  take  an  interest  in 
the  sport  of  horse-racing  are  aware,  the  terms  on  which, 
for  many  ^^ears,  horses  have  been  entered  for  the 
Derby  are  £25,  an  additional  sum  of  that  amount 
having  to  be  paid  by  those  sportsmen  who  order  their 
horses  to  be  run  in  the  race.  At  first  the  amounts 
paid  were  fixed  at  guineas,  but  in  1825  sovereigns 
Avere  substituted.  Many  years  passed  away  before  the 
Derby  became  of  much  value.  Not  till  the  year  1831, 
when  Spaniel  won,  did  the  entries  for  the  race  exceed 
100  horses,  and  sixteen  more  years  elapsed  before 
they  numbered  200,  whilst  it  was  not  till  182  T  that 
as  many  as  twenty  horses  came  to  the  starting- 
post. 

Up  till  1880  owners  never  seemed  to  think  they 
should  do  other  than  follow  their  predecessors,  and 
enter  their  horses  on  the  terms  prescribed.  True,  an 
occasional  irrumble  Avas  heard  about  the  avariciousness 
of  the  Epsom  authorities;  but  it  was  not  till  the  offer 
of  much  higher  stakes  at  other  meetings  began  to  be 


FINANCIAL  ASPECTS  OF  THE  RACE.  ig 

mnae  that  proposals  for  the  financial  reform  of  the 
Derhy  were  ventilated  ;  and  with  the  view  of '  iniprov- 
inw  *  the  conditions,  and  making  the  race  a  '  big  thing,' 
fome  remarkable  suggestions  found  their  way  into 
J  rint. 

It  was  at  one  time  suggested,  for  instance,  that  the 
Jockey  Club  should  be  called  upon  to  take  action,  and 
determine  the  amount  of  a  bonus  which  ought  to  be 
added  to  the  two  great  Epsom  races,  or  to  say  how 
they  ought  to  be  so  remodelled  as  to  admit  of  the 
owners  of  horses  obtaining  something  more  than  their 
own  money  from  a  company  which  was  reputed  to  be 
making  £20,000  or  £30,000  per  annum  by  means  of 
the  Derby  and  Oaks  being  run  over  ground  which 
they  had  leased  from  the  lord  of  the  manor. 

In  view  of  contingencies,  a  change  of  venue  was 
even  proposed.  One  writer  on  the  subject  enunciated 
the  following  views:  'The  Derby  is  a  name  that  is 
still  potent  to  conjure  with.  This  is  not,  however,  a 
sentimental  age,  and  the  rose  might,  as  Shakespeare 
has  suggested,  smell  as  sweetly  as  it  now  does,  even  if 
its  name  were  to  be  changed;  and  even  so  the  "Derby" 
might  flourish  if  it  were  not  run  at  Epsom,  and  the 
funds  derived  from  the  various  sources  of  revenue  were 
devoted  to  other  uses  than  the  enrichment  of  the 
jiersons  who  own  the  Grand  Stand  and  lease  the  race- 
course. Moreover,  it  is  beginning  to  be  asked  if  any 
particular  person  or  body  of  persons  have  "the  right  "* 
to  take  nominations  for  the  two  classic  races  run  at 
Epsom  ;  and  if  so,  from  whom  that  right  is  derived  ? 

'  The  race,  as  is  well  known,  was  instituted  in  the 
year  1780,  and  named  in  honour  of  the  Lord  Derby 

,      .  2—2 


20  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

of  that  time  It  would  lead,  pvobabl^^  to  curious 
revelations  to  know  its  history  in  the  aspect  of  the 
question  just  asked,  namely,  Is  the  title  of  "  the  Derby 
Stakes"  held  by  patent?  if  so,  from  whom?  or  is  it 
copyright  ?  if  so,  where  can  the  register  be  seen  ?  and 
how  came  the  patent,  or  copyright,  to  be  vested  in  the 
company  which  at  present  "  bosses  "  the  race  ?  ^^'hy 
should  the  gentlemen  of  England  subscribe  a  matter 
of  £10,000  per  annum  to  be  competed  for  on  Epsom 
Downs,  in  order  that  the  attraction  so  caused  may 
enrich  the  proprietors  of  the  Grand  Stand  ?  They 
might  as  easily  devote  the  money  to  some  other  pur- 
pose, or,  as  has  been  more  than  once  suggested,  run 
the  race  which  they  maintain  elsewhere ;  and  prob- 
ably, at  no  distant  date,  that  may  bo  done.  Those 
interested — namely,  the  owners  of  the  horses  entered 
for  the  race — are  surely  entitled  to  dispense  their 
patronage  in  any  mode  they  please ;  and  were  the 
Derby  to  be  put  up  to  auction,  and  the  Oaks  along 
with  it,  some  enterprising  race-course  company  might 
far  outbid  the  present  holders  of  the  monopoly.  This 
idea  may  be  scouted  as  Utopian,  but  more  unlikely 
things  have  happened  before  now, 

'  No  figures  representing  the  receipts  of  the  two  race- 
meetings  held  at  Epsom  are  ever  published,  so  far  as 
making  them  known  to  the  general  public  is  con- 
cerned ;  but  those  familiar  with  racing  finance  have 
computed  that  in  the  course  of  the  six  days  occupied 
by  meetings  at  Epsom  a  sum  of  over  £50,000  will  be 
bagged  in  name  of  admission-fees  and  rents  of  many 
kinds.  A  well-known  writer  commenting  recently  on 
the  financial  aspects  of  the  Derby  and  Oaks,  stated 


FINAXCIAL  ASPECTS  OF  THE  RACE.  21 

that  the  receipts  of  the  Grand  Stand  amount  to  many 
thousand  pounds,  and  increase  year  by  year.  Shares 
are  occasionally  oll'ered  for  sale,  and  bring  big  prices, 
which  points,  of  course,  in  the  direction  of  very  liberal 

dividends.' 


II. 

In  the  absence  of  authentic  information,  the  early 
history  of  the  Derby,  as  regards  its  tinance,  can  only 
form  matter  for  speculation.  When  first  the  race  was 
run,  its  surroundings  were  of  the  most  primitive  kind, 
and  at  that  period  no  pre-visions  of  its  future  celebrity 
as  what  may  be  termed  a  '  national  event '  had  been 
indulged  in,  nor,  in  all  probability,  would  the  lord  of 
the  manor  of  that  day  have  the  least  idea  that  in  the 
course  of  time  the  ground  on  which  the  race  took 
place  would  be  worth  a  thousand  pounds  per  annum  ; 
nor  could  it  then  have  occurred  to  any  person  that 
before  sixty  years  would  elapse  there  would  be  required 
a  Grand  Stand  of  large  dimensions,  and  many  smaller 
erections  of  a  similar  kind,  to  accommodate  the  tens 
of  thousands  who  annually  journey  to  Epsom  to  gaze 
on  the  great  struggle  for  the  '  Blue  Ribbon  of  the 
Turf.' 

Certain  particulars  regarding  the  erection  of  the 
Stand  have,  it  is  right  to  say,  been  made  public.  It 
was  erected  in  1829-30,  at  a  cost  of  about  £14,000,  the 
capital  required  being  raised  without  any  difficulty  in 
shares  of  £20,  of  which  1,000  were  issued.  In  Mr. 
Brayley's  '  History  of  Surrey,'  it  is  stated  that  tlio 


22  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

erection  of  the  Stand  'had  its  origin  in  an  arlfnl 
speculation  devised  by  a  small  horde  of  questionable 
characters  ;  and  it  was  not  before  great  trouble  and 
expense  had  been  incurred  that  they  were  excluded 
from  the  management.'  A  lawyer's  bill  was  incurred 
amounting  to  £557. . 

The  Grand  Stand  was  built  from  a  set  of  plans 
drawn  by  Mr.  William  Trendall,  and,  in  order  to  get  rid 
of  the  'questionable  characters'  referred  to,  a  new  com- 
mittee of  management  was  formed,  and  an  additional 
sum  of  raone}'  was  authorized  to  be  raised.  This  was 
done :  a  mortgage  of  £5,000  being  effected  on  the  pro- 
perty, and  two  bends  of  £2,500  each  were  granted  on 
annuity  at  70  per  cent.,  one  of  Avhich  was  redeemed  m 
1836,  partly  by  the  creation  of  forty-nine  new  shares, 
carrying  interest  at  5  per  cent.,  the  value  of  which 
was  assessed  some  years  since  at  £75  each.  The  rent 
at  one  time  paid  for  a  considerable  portion  of  the 
race-course  was  at  the  rate  of  £300  per  annum,  Avhich 
was  deemed  inadequate  by  Mr.  Studd,  who  had  (18G8) 
become  proprietor  of  the  Manor  of  Walton.  That 
gentleman  proposed  a  rent  to  be  fixed  at  the  rate 
of  £1,000  per  annum,  extending  over  a  twenty-one 
years'  lease.  Ultimately,  however,  the  course  was  so 
altered  as  to  avoid  Mr.  Studd's  portion  of  the  heath. 
When  the  Derby  was  instituted,  the  course  to  be  run 
over  was  only  a  mile  in  length  ;  now,  as  is  well  known, 
it  is  half  a  mile  longer. 

With  reference  to  the  Grand  Stand  and  its  ap- 
purtenances, it  is  related  that  it  was  a  Mr.  Charles 
Ijluck,  from  Doncaster,  who  originated  the  building  of 
it,  having  proposed  to  the  manorial  court  at  Epsom  to 


FINANCIAL  ASPECTS  OF  THE  RACE.  23 

lease,  for  a  period  of  sixty-one  years,  an  acre  of  ground 
on  which  to  build  it.  Ultimately,  by  agreement  with 
the  lord  of  the  manor,  the  period  of  tenancy  was 
extended  to  ninety  3-ears,  and  the  document  Avas 
signed  on  the  27th  of  November,  1828,  the  annual 
rent  being  fixed  at  £80.  That  lease  will,  of  course, 
terminate  in  the  year  1918.  The  stand  has  been  an 
immense  success,  and  may  be  said  to  have  proved 
a  gold-mine  to  its  proprietors.  '  The  receipts  of  the 
Grand  Stand,'  says  a  popular  writer,  '  increase  year 
by  year.  The  charge  is  now  two  guineas  for  the  four 
days,  or  one  guinea  for  the  Derby  Day  or  the  Oaks 
Day ;  and  the  paddock,  admission  to  which  some 
years  ago  was  only  a  shilling,  now  fills  well  at  half  a 
guinea.' 

Every  3'ear  the  public  patronage  accorded  to  the 
Grand  and  parasitic  stands,  to  the  paddocks  and  other 
enclosures,  increases  at  a  wonderful  rate.  For  re- 
freshments the  demand  is  incessant,  and  the  profit 
derived  from  this  part  of  the  business  must  be  very 
large.  No  two  persons  will  be  found  to  agree  as  to 
the  numbers  who  crowd  to  Epsom  Downs  to  witness 
the  Derby,  but  various  estimates  have  been  made, 
ranging  from  70,000  to  a  quarter  of  a  million.  If, 
however,  100,000  persons  are  present,  and  each, 
striking  an  average,  expends  half  a  sovereign  in 
railway  fares  and  refreshments,  that  of  itself  totals 
up  to  a  sum  of  £50,000  for  the  day's  outing  ! 

One  of  our  ablest  and  most  informed  writers  on 
horse-racing  and  the  economy  of  the  turf,  whilst 
advocating,  some  j^ears  since,  that  something  should 
be  done  by  way  of  augmenting  the  stakes  of  the  Derby 


24  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

and  Oaks,  said  :  '  There  is  not  a  better  paying  property 
in. the  country  than  Epsom  Grand  Stand,  and  it  will 
pay  still  more  now  that  there  is  to  be  an  autumn 
meeting.  The  Stand  has  recently  been  improved  at 
a  cost  of  £12,000,  and  of  this  sum  not  less  than 
£7,000  has  already  been  got  back.  For  the  new  club 
no  less  than  700  members  have  already  been  elected, 
the  entrance  fee  being  five  guineas,  and  the  annual 
subscription  five  guineas.'  Writing  of  the  Epsom 
Gratid  Stand  Company  in  another  communication, 
the  same  gentleman  says  :  '  Despite  its  wealth,  it  is 
the  most  niggardly  racing  corporation  iu  the  kingdom, 
and  not  only  do  they  not  give  one  shilling  to  the 
Derby  or  Oaks,  but  not  so  long  ago  they  had  the 
impudence  to  make  the  winner  of  these  races  pay  the 
salary  of  the  judge  and  the  police  expenses  for  keep- 
ing the  course,  and  also  £-30  for  champagne  !' 


IIT. 

The  different  plans  promulgated  from  time  to  time 
for  the  improvement  of  the  Derby  may  now  be 
briefly  alluded  to. 

Mr.  John  Porter,  of  Kingsclere,  proposed  to  enhance 
the  value  of  the  race  in  the  following  fitshion :  '  The 
])erby  for  more  than  a  hundred  years  has  been  the 
race  for  which  all  nations  have  striven,  and  if  we  are 
to  maintain  its  prestige  something  substantial  must  bo 
done  by  the  Epsom  authorities.  This  is  what  I  vv'ould 
suggest  to  them — that,  to  make  the  Dciby  of  the 
future  still  the  greatest  race  in  the  world,  they  should 


FINANCIAL  ASPECTS  OF  THE  RACE.  25 

actually  give  in  cash  £5,000,  and  increase  the  entrance- 
fee  from  £50,  half-forfeit,  to  £100,  half-forfeit.  We 
may  reasonably  suppose  that  this  liberal  donation 
Avould  increase  the  number  of  entries,  but  even  sup- 
posing that  they  should  remain  the  same  as  at  present 
(about  200),  and  that  there  are,  say,  twenty  runners, 
tliis  gives  £2,000  subscribed  by  the  runners,  £9,000  in 
forfeits,  with  the  £5,000  added  by  the  execu*:ive,  and 
would  make  a  total  of  £16,000,  which  should  indeed 
"  eclipse  "  the  value  of  any  other  race.  Considering 
the  number  who  attended  to  see  the  great  race  at 
Sandown  under  most  depressing  circumstances,  it 
is  almost  impossible  to  grasp  the  magnitude  of  the 
assemblage  we  should  see  on  Epsom  Downs  (the 
scene  of  so  many  glorious  contests)  to  witness  the 
Derby  under  these  new  and  inspiriting  conditions.' 

A  recent  writer  on  the  financial  aspects  of  the 
Derby  thus  ventilates  his  ideas  of  how  matters  ought 
to  be  adjusted  between  those  who  receive  the  nomina- 
tions and  those  who  make  them  :  '  Were  ovv^ners  of 
Derb}'  horses  to  increase  their  subscriptions,  in  order 
to  make  the  race  a  startling  one  as  to  amount,  and 
thereb}'  cause  a  sensation  ;  and  were  such  a  multitude 
to  be  attracted  to  the  Epsom  enclosures  (they  have 
been  lately  enlarged)  as  to  make  a  gate  worth  £25,000, 
would  it  be  too  much  to  ask  thiit  half,  or  at  least 
a  third,  of  the  sum  that  remained  after  expenses  were 
deducted  should  be  divided  among  the  hrst  three 
horses,  and  particuhirly  that  a  handsome  bonus 
should  be  awarded  to  tlie  owner  of  the  animal  which 
obtains  the  second  place  ?  It  is  not  unreasonable  to 
cal(;ulate  that  by  such  means  a  sum  of  from  £8,000 


25  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

to  £10,000  might  be  added  to  the  subscriptions,  of 
which  £2,000  might  be  given  to  the  owner  of  the 
horse  which  the  judge  placed  second,  and  half  as 
much  to  the  owner  of  the  other  placed  horse.  The 
Oaks  could  be  dealt  with  on  a  similar  plan.' 

The  following  scheme  was  propounded  some  years 
since  by  the  present  writer,  and  may  have  had  some 
slight  influence  in  shaping  the  conditions  under  which 
the  race  is  now  run.  '  A  simple  mode  of  augmenting 
the  stakes  would  be  to  allow  the  owner  of  the  winner 
to  draw  the  whole  amount  subscribed,  and  that  £1,000 
and  £500  respectively  should  be  given  to  the  owners 
of  the  horses  which  run  second  and  third  in  the  Derby 
and  Oaks ;  in  which  case  the  Epsom  authorities  would 
have  to  find  £3.000,  Avhich  they  could  well  afford,  and 
have  plenty  left  over  for  dividends  to  Grand  Stand 
shareholders.  In  this  Avay  £450  would  be  added  to 
the  sum  given  to  the  winning  horse,  that  being  the 
amount  divided  at  present  between  the  second  and 
third — namely,  £300  and  £150.  On  behalf  of  those 
who  would  be  more  exacting  in  the  matter  of  more 
really  added  money,  it  may  be  suggested  that  the 
chief  stake  should  in  every  race  be  augmented  to 
even  money — that  is,  if  the  subscriptions  (say  at 
present  rates)  did  not  reach  £5,000,  £6,000,  or  £7,000, 
as  the  case  might  be,  they  should  be  supplemented 
in  the  way  suggested.  To  j^revent  misunderstanding, 
here  is  an  example  :  Take  the  Derby  won  by  St.  Blaise 
in  1883;  the  sum  came  to  £5,150:  by  the  plan  of  the 
winner  getting  all  the  subscriptions,  St.  Blaise  would 
have  received  the  sum  of  £5,000,  to  be  increased  to 


FINANCIAL  ASPECTS  OF  THE  RACE.  27 

£G,000.  Were  the  Epsom  Summer  Meeting  to  be 
made  a  gate-money  meeting,  then,  in  the  event  of  the 
two  races  being  still  run  there,  a  bonus  of  at  least 
£7,000  should  be  given  to  them,  to  be  allocated  as  the 
stewards,  or,  better  still,  the  subscribers  to  the  race, 
might  determine.' 

One  more  of  the  many  schemes  promulgated  for 
the  benefit  of  Derby  nominators  may  be  noticed,  on 
account  of  its  having  been  devised  by  *  Borderer,' 
an  excellent  and  all-round  writer  on  our  national 
sports  and  pastimes.  This  gentleman's  plan  was  un- 
fortunately devised,  it  appears  to  the  writer,  more  for 
the  benefit  of  the  (Irand  Stand  shareholders  than 
those  who  provide  the  horses.  Briefly,  'Borderer' 
proposed  to  raise  the  money  in  the  following  fashion — 
namely,  a  total  sum  of  £135  to  be  paid  for  each  foal 
entered,  and  £150  for  each  yearling.  The  conditions: 
'  To  close  for  foals  of  1887  on  the  first  Tuesday  in 
July,  1887,  entrance  10  sovs. ;  to  close  for  yearlings 
on  the  third  Tuesday  in  September,  1888,  entrance 
25  sovs.  Horses  not  struck  out  of  the  race  on  or 
before  the  last  Tuesday  in  March,  1890,  to  pay  a 
further  sum  of  50  sovs. ;  an  additional  charge  of 
50  sovs.  to  be  made  for  starters.'  The  sum  obtained 
under  these  conditions  (£12,000)  'Borderer'  proposed 
to  allocate  as  follows : 

The  winner  to  receive      -       -  £10,000 

Breeder  of  the  Avinner      -       -  500 

Second  hor?e       .       -       -       .  1,000 

Breeder  of  the  second  horse  -  200 

Breeder  of  the  third  horse     -  100 


28  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF, 

It  is  somewhat  remarkable  that  in  nearly  all  tho 
schemes  promulgated  on  behalf  of  the  Derby  and  Oaks, 
the  Epsom  authorities  receive  the  greatest  degree  of 
consideration ;  all  that  is  accorded  to  owners  is  the 
questionable  privilege  of  paying  a  much  larger  sum 
in  the  shape  of  entry  money !  All,  for  instance, 
that  '  Borderer's'  scheme  leads  up  to  is  just  a  bigger 
gamble  to  be  indulged  in  by  the  owners  of  the 
animals  entered;  whilst  what  is  really  wanted  is  that 
those  who  derive  such  a  handsome  return  from  these 
attractive  races  should  not  'bag'  more  money,  but 
should  hand  over  a  percentage  of  their  gains  to  tho 
men  who  provide  the  horses.  If  the  writer  is  not 
misinformed,  it  has  long  been  a  rule  in  all  great 
'matches'  for  the  pedestrians  engaged,  or  those  who 
*  manage '  them,  to  receive  a  considerable  share  of  the 
gate-money — and  why  not  ?  And  why  should  it  not 
likewise  be  so  in  the  case  of  horse-racing  ?  Suppose, 
by  way  of  argument,  that  the  owners  of,  say,  the  best 
score  of  race-horses  at  present  in  existence  were  to 
agree  to  run  them  in  a  sweepstakes  of  £1,000  per 
horse  at  handicap  weights,  would  these  gentlemen  not 
be  entitled  to  say  to  the  authorities  of  Sandown, 
Epsom,  or  Kempton  Park,  '  What  sum  will  you  give 
us  if  we  decide  this  great  race  on  3'our  course  ?'  Such 
an  event  might  prove  an  enormous  'draw,'  and  yield 
a  Avonderful  'gate.'  It  would  only  be  reasonable,  there- 
fore, that  the  directors  of  whatever  course  was  selected 
should  present  the  promoters  of  the  race  with  a  per- 
centage of  the  drawings.  Co-operation  is  in  vogue 
at  present ;  why,  then,  should  not  sportsmen  who  own 
valuable  race-horses  utilize  them  in  the  manner  in- 


FINANCIAL  ASPECTS  OF  THE  RACE.      \^^ 

\ 
dlcatcd,  both  in   handicaps,  and   in  relation    to    the 
Derby,  Oaks,  and  St.  Leger,  by  co-operating  to  provide 
a  big  race  ? 

It  should  be  brought  home  to  those  chiefly  in- 
terested that  the  persons  who  derive  so  great  a  pro  tit 
from  the  Derby  and  Oaks  should  be  compelled  to 
disgorge  a  larger  portion  of  it  than  they  seem  in- 
clined to  those  who  in  reality  provide  the  sport — 
namely,  the  ladies  and  gentlemen  who  run  their 
horses,  some  of  which  have  cost  thousands  of  pounds 
to  purchase,  and  hundreds  of  pounds  to  maintain. 
Who  would  constitute  himself  an  advocate  for  levia- 
than stakes,  the  gains  of  which  go  to  enrich  mere 
speculators,  who  in  all  probability  have  no  soul  for 
sport  or,  at  any  rate,  for  the  sport  of  kings  ?  If 
an  enormous  stake  were  to  be  formnlated,  the  excite- 
ment Avhich  would  attend  its  decision,  if  decided  so 
near  London  as  Epsom,  would  probably  be  very  gr^at* 

Many  of  the  facts  and  figures  pertaining  to  the 
Derby  are  of  exceeding  interest.  It  will  be  seen  from 
the  following  tables  that  during  the  first  ten  j^ears  of 
the  race  the  total  stake  run  for  never  exceeded  1,250 
guineas  (calculating  the  amount  from  the  number  of 
entries  and  runners)  ;  whilst  in  the  ten  years  ending 
with  1884,  the  average  value  of  the  stakes,  as  ascer- 
tained in  the  mode  indicated,  was  £5,655.  The  entry 
in  1879  is  the  largest  that  has  been  recorded,  exceed- 
ing that  of  Lord  Lyon's  year  by  four,  and  resulting 
in  the  biggest  return  for  a  Derby  yet  known.  The 
average  of  the  entries  divides  into  228  horses  per 
annum,  and  the  running  horses  average  seventeen  per 
annum  over  the  ten  years  indicated.     As  regards  the 


-Q  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

number  of  entries,  a  glance  at  once  shows  that  for 
the  race  of  1885  121  subscribers  entered  190  horses ; 
i-n   the   following   year   202   horses   were   named   by 
12^0  ladies  and  genilemen.     For  the  'Blue  Ribbon* 
of'  1887,   112  persons  entered  190  animals ;   for  tho 
r'kce  of  1888  there  were  ninety  different  nominators, 
who  named  1G3   horses.     In    1889   the  figures  were 
92   subscribers    and    171    horses.      Many   gentlemen 
name  a  considerable  number  of  their  colts  in  each 
year;  thirteen  animals  have  sometimes  been  entered 
by  some  of  England's  best  sportsmen,  whilst  entries 
of  from  four  to  nine  are  common.     When  it  is  stated 
that   the   colts  which   compete  in  the   Derby   when 
they  are  of  the  age  of  three  years  have  to  be  entered 
for  the  race  while  they  are  'yearlings,'  itwill  be  at  onco 
obvious,  even  to  persons  who  are  not  familiar  with  the 
economy  of  the  turf,  that  many  of  the  animals  named 
never  compete.     Some  die  long  before  the  day,  others 
do  not  stand  the  strain  of  hard  work  which  is  abso- 
lutely necessary  for  tlieir  preparation,  and  thus  it  comes 
about  that  perhaps  not  more  tban  twelve  or  fifteen 
are  sent  to  the  starting-place  on  the  eventful  Wednes- 
day on  which  the  great  riice  falls  to  be  run.     It  is 
obvious  from  what  has  been  said  or  indicated  that,  in 
respect  of  the  money  involved,  subscribers  to  each 
succeeding  Derby  might  just  as  \vell  write  the  names 
of  their  horses  on  a  piece  of  paper  and  draw  them 
out  of  a  hat  as  run  them  in  the  race,  or  they  might 
meet  at  dinner  and  toss  against  each  other  for  the 
stakes  !*     That,  of  course,   would   not    be   esteemed 

*  '  It  was  recently  asked  by  a  defender,  or.  rather,  apologist 


FINANCIAL  ASPECTS  OF  THE  RACE. 


31 


sncli  a  sporting  event  as  a  race  is  thought  to  be;  but 
why  the  chief  sportsmen  of  EngLmd,  France,  and 
America  should  combine  to  run  their  horses  at  a 
heavy  cost  chiefly  to  benefit  a  company  which  has 
leased  a  portion  of  the  Epsom  Downs  is  not  easy  to 
understand,  seeing  that  they  might  as  well  do  so — if 
not  for  the  benefit  of  some  public  hospital  or  other 
deserving  charit}' — for  their  own  profit. 
The  following  are  the  tables  referred  to : 


DATE. 

%V].\NEK3. 

SUB- 
SCRIBERS. 

STARTERS. 

VALUE. 

GUINEAS. 

17S0 

Dimmed 

30 

9 

1,125 

1781 

EclJ])se 

3.') 

15 

1,250 

1782 

Assassin  * 

35 

13 

1,200 

1783 

Saltrani 

34 

6 

1,0(10 

1784 

Serjeant 

30 

11 

1,025 

1785 

Aimwell 

29 

10 

970 

1786 

Noble 

29 

15 

1,000 

1787 

Sir  Peter  Teazle 

33 

17 

1,250 

17-8 

Sir  Thomas 

30 

11 

1,U25 

1789 

Skyscraper 

30 

11 

1,025 

]\Iaking  a  big  jump,  the  fifteen  years  ending  with 
1889  show,  of  course,  more  prosperous  times  : 


of  the  arlministration  :  "Of  what  use  are  the  horses  without  a 
race-course  ?"  That  is,  of  course,  one  way  of  putting  the  case. 
The  same  style  of  logic  was  made  use  oP  by  a  theatrical 
manager  to  a  man  who  had  written  a  play  :  "  Of  what  value  is 
your  play  if  you  are  without  a  theatre  in  which  to  protiuce 
it  ?"  The  answer  given  was  the  very  obvious  one  :  "  Of  what 
use  is  your  theatre  to  you  if  yon  have  no  plays  to  occupy  your 
stage  y  ' — Manchester  Sporting  Chronicle. 


THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 


SUB- 

1 

DATE. 

WINNERS. 

SCRIBERS. 

STARTERS. 

VALUE. 

1875 

Galopin 

li»9 

18 

£4,900 

1876 

Kisber 

22G 

15 

5.575 

1877 

Silvio 

245 

17 

6,050 

1878 

Sefton 

231 

22 

5,825 

1879 

Sir  Bevys 

278 

23 

7.025 

18S0 

Bend  Or 

25() 

19 

0,375 

1881 

Iroquois 

242 

15 

5,925 

1882 

Shotover 

197 

14 

4,775 

1883 

St.  Blaise 

215 

11 

5,1.50 

1884 

Harvester  and  St.  Gali  n 

189 

15 

4,900 

1885 

Melton 

1H9 

12 

4,525 

1886 

Ormoiida 

190 

9 

4,700 

1887 

Merry  Hampton 

190 

11 

4,525 

1888 

Ayrshire 

163 

9 

3,075 

1889 

Doiiovan 

109 

13 

4,050 

1890 

Sainfoin 

233 

8 

5,000 

The  conditions  under  which  the  race  is  now  to  be 
run,  it  will  be  generally  admitted,  are  an  improvement 
on  previous  arrangements,  but  so  far  as  can  be  deter- 
mined at  the  time  of  penning  these  remarks,  they  will 
not  cost  the  Epsom  executive  so  much  as  a  shilling. 
The  sum  allocated  to  the  second  horse  is  unsatis- 
factory ;  if  really  honest  racing  is  ever  to  be  obtained, 
it  will  be  when  every  animal  taking  part  in  the  race 
is  trying  to  win  it.  But  in  the  Derby,  and  several 
other  contents,  where  there  is  a  big  prize  only  for  the 
first  horse,  there  is  always  likel}^  to  be  a  number  of 
non  triers.  The  instructions  given  to  riders  of  such 
animals  may  well  be  supposed  to  be  couched  in  the  fol- 
lowing fashion  :  '  We  are  only  going  for  the  off-chance. 
If  you  think,  when  the  push  comes,  that  you  can  win, 
by  all  means  do  so ;  bat  if  not,  then  ease  y(jur  horse. 
We  don't  care  about  getting  a  place  in  the  Derby.' 

With  a  sum,  however,  of  £2,000  or  £1,500  for  the 


FINANCIAL  ASPECTS  OF  THE  RACE.  33 

second,  and,  say  £800  or  more  to  the  third  horse, 
owners  would  doubtlei-s  Iiave  less  hesitation  in  trying 
to  get  '  a  shop.' 

The  case  of  the  second  horse  in  the  Derby  is 
frequently  a  hard  one — a  very  hard  case  indeed.  As 
the  saying  goes,  it  may  just  be  '  beaten  by  the  skin  of 
its  teeth,'  because  of  a  bad  start,  or  from  being 
cannoned  against  in  the  race,  or  in  consequence  of 
inferior  jockeyship,  or  from  some  other  cause ;  and 
many  a  time,  as  sportsmen  know,  the  second  horse  is 
better  th-m  the  horse  which  wins  the  race,  therefore 
the  petty  allowance  so  often  made  to  the  owner  of  the 
animal  which  comes  in  second  in  such  a  race  as  the 
Derby  forms  a  poor  reward  for  the  anxieties  that 
Lave  attended  its  career  since  it  was  entered  for  the 
famous  race,  for  which  it  has  very  likely  been  specially 
retained  and  trained.  Another  factor  in  the  situation 
may  also  be  alluded  to:  the  owner  is  sure  to  sufEor 
from  the  form  of  his  horse  having  been  exposed — an 
animal  which  has  run  second  or  third  in  a  Derby, 
Oaks  or  St.  Leijer,  is  certain  to  attract  the  attention  of 
handicappers,  and  to  be  well  '  looked  after '  in  the 
weights  of  such  events  as  his  owner  may  enter  it 
for. 

Another  reason  why  owners  do  not  usuall}^  care  to 
have  their  horses  '  placed,'  is  the  contemptible  rate  of 
odds  offered  by  bookmakers  against  horses  that 
might  be  backed  for  places — the  odds  laid  against 
any  horse  for  a  'shop'  have  seldom  the  slightest  re- 
lation to  the  price  offered  for  a  win  :  the  one  quotation 
may  be  50  to  1,  the  other  5  to  1.  But  when  hand- 
some allowances  come  to  be  made  to  the  owners  of 

3 


34  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

the  animals  which  run  second  and  third,  it  may  be 
assumed  that  nine-tenths  of  the  horses  which  face 
the  stnrter  will  be  trying,  and  when  that  becomes 
generally  known  the  place-odds  will  certainly  expand, 
and  very  properl}'.* 

Think  of  the  fact  that  for  such  a  race  as  the  St. 
Leger.  the  conditions  bear  that  the  owner  of  the 
second  horse  shall  receive  200  sovs.,  and  the  third 
100  sovs.  out  of  the  stakes  !  To  some  extent  the 
claims  of  the  owners  of  the  second  and  third  horses  to 
be  more  liberally  dealt  with  is  being  recognised  in  the 
bisr  stake  races  which  are  becoming  common.  In  the 
Lancashire  Plate,  for  instance,  the  horse  that  follows 
the  winner  to  the  winning-pose  wins  for  its  owner 
1,000  sovs.,  and  500  sovs.  for  ihe  nominator  as  well. 
But  the  disparity  between  the  12,000  sovs.  which  fall 
to  the  winner,  and  the  1,000  sovs.   assigned  to  his 


*  The  following  remarks  by  a  practical  sportsman,  although 
uttered  a  few  years  ago,  are  apropos  to  the  argument :  '  One  would 
assuredly  look  with  more  favour  on  these  races,  and  others  that 
are  sure  to  follow  on  an  even  larger  monetary  basis,  were  the 
.sum  of  money  to  be  given  more  equitably  divided  ;  as  at  pre- 
sent arranged,  the  competitions  to  which  I  refer  are  simply  a 
benefit  to  one  horse,  or  rather  to  its  ownei-.  Why,  for  instance, 
should  Sir  Bevys  contribute  so  large  a  sum  as  £7,000  to  its 
owner's  coffers,  and  nothing  worth  speaking  of  be  paid  on 
account  of  the  animal  that  followed  it  home  ?  Assuredly  the 
Derby,  and  other  large  stakes,  require  to  be  readjusted.  It  is 
alwa>s  desirable  to  see  big  fields  competing,  and  many  of  the 
small  fields  now  seen  would  be  larger  were  an  inducement  held 
out  to  those  who  own  the  horses  to  run  them  against  those 
animals  that  are  supposed  to  have  the  race  at  their  me^-.y.  Two 
years  ngo,  a  friend  of  mine  who  had  a  good  horse  entered  for 
the  Derby  would  have  run  him  if  he  could  have  backed  him  for 
a  place  on  reasonable  terms  ;  but  the  best  offer  he  got  was  7  to 
2,  and  that  for  an  animal  that  was  only  supposed  to  have  a 
50  to  1  chance  to  win.' 


FINANCIAL  ASPECTS  OF  THE  RACE.  35 

nominator,  and  the  like  sum  allotted  to  the  second 
horse,  is  striking.  The  total  sum  to  be  distributed 
for  the  race  (no  matter,  in  the  meantime,  how  pro- 
vided) is  as  follows : 


Winner  - 

-     12.000  1 

sovs, 

Nominator  of  winner 

-       1,000 

Owner  of  second  horse 

-       1,000 

Nominator  of  second 

500 

Owner  of  third  horse 

800 

Nominator  of  ditto  - 

200 

15,000    „ 

Some  who  take  an  interest  in  racing  will,  doubtless, 
be  able  to  divide  the  above  amount  after  some  pet 
plan  of  their  own,  and  there  are  those  who,  like  the 
writer,  may  think  that  ten  thousand  pounds  to  any 
winner  would  be  an  ample  reward.  In  the  New- 
market Stakes  of  10,000  sovs.  it  is  proposed  to  give 
1,000  and  500  sovs.  respectively  to  the  owners  of  the 
second  and  third  horses.  Should  the  race  prove  suc- 
cessful and  be  continued,  the  Jockey  Club  ought  to  re- 
adjust its  financial  features,  and  take  into  considera- 
tion the  propriety  of  providing  at  least  another 
thousand  pounds  to  be  divided  between  the  owners 
of  the  second  and  third  horses  in  the  proportions 
(including,  of  course,  the  1,500  sovs.  already  provided 
for)  of  1,500  and  1,000  sovs.  to  the  owners  of  the 
second  and  third  horses.  Other  races  might  be  re- 
ferred to  in  which  winners  will  be  Avell  cared  for, 
whilst  the  horses  which  run  second  and  third  will  be 

3-2 


36  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

passed  over  with  a  sop  of  two  or  three  hundred  ;  but 
the  examples  just  given  will  no  doubt  prove  sufficient  to 
draw  attention  to  this  feature  of  racing  finance,  which 
for  so  long  a  period  has  been  in  the  nature  of  a  blot 
on  '  the  sport  of  kings,'  A  little  prophecy  may  here 
be  ventured :  it  is  that  when  the  claims  of  the  horses 
which  obtain  second  and  third  places  come  to  be 
fairly  recognised,  there  will  be  found  a  much  longer 
list  of  nominators. 

Sentiment  must  find  no  place  in  an  exposition  of 
Derby  finance.  It  may  be  pretty  well  taken  for 
granted  that  those  who  so  ably  work  the  oracle  for 
the  benefit  of  shareholders  and  themselves  are  simply 
hard -headed  men  who  do  not  care  much  about 
sentiment,  and  they  will  evidently  require  a  good  deal 
of  persuading  to  make  a  substantial  money  grant  to 
the  great  race ;  but  seeing  that  the  contest  of  the 
present  year  will  not  take  a  halfpenny  out  of  their 
pockets,  the  conditions  of  the  race  in  future  years  will 
undoubtedly  be  watched  very  closely. 


MEN  ^YIIO  HAVE  WON  THE  DERBY. 

I. 

To  give  a  brief  account  of  even  a  few  of  the  men  who 
have  taken  part  in  what  may  be  called  the  '  making  of 
the  turf  would  require  a  volume,  but  the  materials 
for  the  compilation  of  a  book  of  that  kind  are  not 
quite  at  hand.  Not,  in  fact,  till  the  Derby  had  been 
run  for  a  considerable  number  of  3'ears  was  much 
notice  taken  of  racintj  men  of  either  hi<'h  or  low  de- 
gree  ;  that  is,  in  connection  with  their  love  of  sport. 
Not  till  the  advent  of  the  so-called  '  classic  races '  does 
material  for  detailed  biographies  of  turf  men  become 
abundant,  and,  above  all,  reliable. 

Long  before  that  time,  however,  a  man  had  appeared 
upon  the  scene  who  left  his  mark  on  the  incidence  of 
racing;  his  name  was  Tregonwell  Frampton,  and  ho 
was  born  in  the  year  1G41,  in  the  reign  of  Charles  I. 
Frampton,  who  in  his  time  was  keeper  of  the  running 
horses  at  Newmarket  to  their  ^Majesties  William  III., 
Queen  Anne,  George  I.,  and  George  II.,  died  on 
March  12th,  1727,  aged  eighty-six,  and  lies  buried  in 
Newmarket.  He  has  been  called  the  'father  of  the 
turf,'  and  has  a  distinct  claim  tD  be  considered  tho 
discoverer  of  the  capabilities  of  '  racing  as  a  business.* 


38  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

His  memory,  it  must  be  admitted,  is  somewhat  clouded 
by  questionable  actions.  A  Newmarket  visitor  of  that 
time  Avrites  :  '  There  was  Mr.  Frampton,  the  oldest  and, 
as  they  say,  the  cunningest  jockey  in  England,  [The 
word  'jockey'  is  here  made  use  of  in  the  dictionary 
sense.]  One  day  he  lost  a  thousand  guineas,  the  next 
he  won  two  thousand,  and  so  on  alternately.  Ho 
made  as  light  of  throwing  away  £500  or  £1,000  at  a 
time  as  other  men  do  of  their  pocket-money,  and  was 
as  perfectly  calm,  cheerful,  and  unconcerned  when  he 
had  lost  £1,000  as  when  he  had  won  £1,000.' 

In  the  days  of  Frampton  betting  had  become  com- 
mon ;  indeed,  he  was  one  of  the  chief  instigators  of  that 
mode  of  speculation,  and  the  first  person  in  all  proba- 
bility who  '  arranged '  a  race  on  the  lines  now  so  well 
known  and  so  often  adopted.  Of  the  scenes  at  New- 
market in  the  latter  days  of  Frampton,  when  horse- 
racing  had  become  more  of  a  '  business '  at  the  chief 
seat  of  sport  than  it  was  in  earlier  days,  the  visitor 
alreaily  referred  to  says  :  '  I  had  the  opportunity  to 
see  the  horse-races  and  a  great  concourse  of  the 
nobility  and  gentry,  as  well  from  London  as  other 
parts  of  England ;  but  they  were  all  so  intent,  so 
eager,  so  busy  upon  the  sharping  part  of  the  sport, 
their  wagers,  their  bets,  that  to  me  they  seemed  just 
as  so  many  horse-coursers  in  SmithHeld ;  descending 
the  greatest  of  them  from  the  high  dignity  and  quality 
to  the  picking  one  another's  pockets,  and  biting  one 
anotlier  as  much  as  possible,  and  with  so  much  eager- 
ness, as  it  might  be  said,  they  acted  without  respect 
to  faith,  honour,  or  good  names.' 

It  was  wittily  said  that  '  sin  came  upon  the  turf 


MEN  WHO  HAVE   WON  THE  DERBY.  39 

with  tho  advent  of  Frampton.'  At  an  early  period  he 
hit  up^u  the  phin  of  making  any  match  that  he  had 
anything  to  do  with  a  '  certainty,'  so  far  as  that  could 
be  accomplished.  By  means  of  a  secretly-ridden  trial, 
he  endeavoured  when  it  was  possible  to  tind  out  which 
was  the  better  horse ;  if  the  animal  was  his  own,  then 
he  backed  it ;  if  his  opponent's,  then  he  supported  it, 
and  contrived  by  some  means  to  lay  against  his  own. 
Gf  the  many  stories  told  to  the  disadvantage  of  Framp- 
ton, some  are  probably  altogether  imaginative,  and 
others  rest  only,  on  a  slight  foundation  of  fact. 
AVhether  the  'father  of  the  turf  was  really  guilty  of 
the  numerous  sins  laid  to  his  charsje  or  not,  there  is 
plenty  of  evidence  to  show  that  he  pla3'ed  in  his  time 
an  important  part  on  the  turf.  In  particular  he  was 
famed  for  the  knowledge  he  treasured  up  of  the  form 
of  the  running  horses  of  the  period — a  necessity,  no 
doubt,  of  his  position  as  the  heaviest  betting  man  of 
his  time.  As  has  been  stated,  Frampton  died  in  the 
year  1727,  at  the  age  of  eighty-six.  Granting  that  he 
had  been,  as  the  saying  goes,  'on  the  turf  for  a  period 
of  sixty  years,  he  mu^-t  have  been  familiar  with  the 
rise  and  progress  of  horse-racing.  Unfortunately,  the 
printed  records  of  regular  sport  only  begin  in  1709,  so 
that  little  is  known  of  Frampton's  numerous  achieve- 
ments in  the  racing  world. 

In  the  year  1727,  the  year  in  which  he  died,  there 
was  racing  at  Newmarket  (two  meetings),  Whitechurch 
in  Shropshire,  Epsom,  Walbasey  in  Cheshire,  Guild- 
ford, Ipswich,  Stamford,  Richmond,  Nottingham,  Pres- 
ton, Peterborough,  Ascot,  Hambleton,  York,  Leighton, 
Lewes,  Winchester,  Grantham,  Oxford,  Bake  well,  Derby- 


40  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

shire,  Lincoln,  Leicester,  Lichfield,  and  Great  Marlow 
— twenty-four  places  in  all.  In  the  year  1720  the 
'father  of  the  turf  had  the  folio  wing- named  horses 
running  at  Newmarket :  Potatoe,  Highlow,  Nutmeg, 
Hobler,  Sparin  Halls,  Margaretta,  and  Sorrel  Filly. 
The  last  time  Mr.  Frampton's  name  appeared  on  the 
record  of  races  run  at  Newmarket  was  on  April  10th, 
1723. 

Sir  Charles  Bunbury,  who  won  the  first  race  for 
the  Derby,  was  called  'father  of  the  turf  also,  and 
others  who  promoted  in  its  earlier  stages  the  '  sport  of 
kings,'  notably  some  of  the  Kings  themselves,  might 
have  had  a  similar  title  conferred  upon  them  :  why  not 
James  I.  or  Charles  II.  ?  Many  of  the  princes  and 
nobles  of  a  far-back  time  helped  to  make  horse-racing 
what  it  is  to-day.  It  is  to  them,  indeed,  that  owners 
owe  the  strains  of  blood  that  now  course  through  the 
veins  of  modern  race-horses.  It  is  in  connection  with 
the  incidence  of  Avhat  have  been  designated  'the  classic 
races'  that  we  find  the  men  who  did  most  for  the  turf 
in  the  way  of  expending  money  on  their  studs  so  as  to 
improve  the  breeds  of  running-horses.  Although  in 
chronological  order  the  St.  Leger  and.  Oaks  take  pre- 
cedence of  the  Derby,  the  latter  is  the  more  pojtular 
race  of  the  three ;  and  included  among  those  who 
have  won  the  '  Blue  Ribbon  of  the  Turf,'  are  to  bo 
I'ound  the  names  of  many  noblemen  and  gentlemen 
who  did  much  to  promote  and  popularize  the  pastime 
of  horse-racing. 

As  has  been  already  mentioned,  and  as  nearly  all 
the  world  knows,  'The  Derby,'  and  'Tlie  Oaks'  too, 
derived  its  name  from  a  well-known  member  of  the 


MEN  WHO  HAVE  WON  THE  DERBY.  41 

peerage — Edward  Smith  Stanley,  twelfth  earl,  born  in 
the  year  1752,  and  who  died  in  the  year  1834  (the 
eighty-second  year  of  his  age).  His  lordship  was 
an  honourable  sportsman,  who  pursued  the  pastime 
of  horse-racing  for  a  period  of  sixty  years  with 
considerable  success.  During  his  lifetime  he  bred 
several  horses  which  attained  celebrity.  Bridget,  first 
winner  of  the  Oaks,  was  his  lordship's  property ;  and 
the  Earl  again  won  with  Hermionc  in  1794.  Sir  Peter 
Teazle,  foaled  in  1784,  was  a  colt  of  the  Earl's  own 
breeding,  and  was  successful  in  winning  a  considerable 
number  of  valuable  stakes.  In  his  fourth  year.  Sir 
Peter  was  reckoned  the  best  horse  of  his  time. 

That  horse  became  the  sire  of  many  of  the  famous 
race-horses  of  a  hundred  years  ago  :  Sir  Harry  in  1798, 
Archduke  in  1799,  Ditto  in  1803,  and  Pari's  in  180G, 
were  all  of  them  Derby  winners,  Sir  Peter  being  their 
sire.  Sir  Peter  was  also  the  sire  of  two  winners  of  the 
Oaks:  Hermione  and  Parnsite. 

His  lordship  was  an  all-round  sportsman,  which 
was  exemplified  in  his  love  of  cock-fighting,  now — ■ 
and  happily  so — a  banished  sport.  In  the  cock-pit, 
as  on  the  racecourse,  he  was  at  one  time  invincible, 
with  his  celebrated  breed  of  '  black-breasted  reds,'  with 
which  he  gained  a  great  series  of  victories  in  the  cock- 
pits of  Preston  and  elsewhere.  For  many  years  his 
lordship  was  an  active  member  of  the  Jockey  Club,  of 
which  institution  he  was  '  the  father '  at  the  date  of 
his  death.  Lord  Derby  was  twice  married ;  first  to 
Lady  Jane  Hamilton,  sister  to  the  then  Duke  of  that 
name.  The  union  proved  unhappy;  the  Earl  of  Derby 
never,however,sued  for  a  divorce,  but  contented  himself 


42  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

by  suing  the  lady's  paramour,  from  whom  he  received 
a  large  sura  in  name  of  damages.  The  death  of  the 
erring  lady  left  him  free  to  form  another  alliance, 
Avhich  resulted  in  raising  Miss  Farren — 'a  born  lady,' 
she  has  been  called — from  the  stage  to  the  peerage. 
It  proved  a  very  happy  union. 

In  1793,  six  jears  after  Sir  Peter's  victory,  the 
Derby  was  won  by  another  horse  of  celebrity,  named 
Waxy,  from  whom  probably  half  the  winners  of  the 
great  Epsom  race  are  descended,  a  descendant  of  the 
curiously- named  Pot-S-os.  In  1809,  and  also  in  the 
following  year,  the  Epsom  trophy  was  secured  by  the 
Duke  of  Grafton  with  sons  of  that  horse,  as  also  in 
1815  ;  whilst  in  the  previous  year,  another  son  of 
Waxy,  the  property  of  Lord  Stawell,  was  the  victor  in 
the  race.  The  horse  had  been  purchased  by  the  third 
Duke  of  Grafton,  and  became  as  a  gold-mine  to  the 
family.  The  name  of  Grafton  occurs  eight  times 
among  the  winners  of  the  Oaks,  three  of  the  mares 
being  the  produce  of  Wax}^ 

In  those  days  the  Dukes  of  Grafton  were  men  of 
mark  on  the  turf,  three  of  them  possessing  similar 
'strokes  of  character.'  The  third  Duke  (born  1786, 
died  1811),  despite  the  abuse  lavished  on  him  by  '  that 
remorseless  master  of  invective,  the  mysterious  Junius,' 
was  an  excellent  sportsman — in  matters  pertaining  to 
sport,  indeed,  he  has  never  been  excelled — and  was 
rewarded  by  great  good  fortune,  being  singularly  lucky 
in  the  rearing  of  his  race-horses.  His  mare  Prunella 
was  the  dam  of  no  less  than  eleven  steeds  of  quality, 
and  is  said  to  have  contributed  to  the  Grafton  ex- 
chequer a  sum  of  over  a  hundred  thousand  guineas ! 


MEN  WHO  HAVE  WON  THE  DERBY.  43 

The  names  of  most  of  the  Duke's  horses  began  with 
the  letter  P,  no  matter  how  they  might  be  bred — a 
plan  of  turf  nomenclature  wl'ich  happily  has  not  been 
followed.  In  the  year  1802,  the  Duke's  horse  Tyrant 
won  him  his  first  Derb}^,  the  colt  being  ridden  by  the 
famous  Francis  Buckle  ;  the  number  of  horses  enQ-aired 
in  the  race  being  eight,  out  of  the  thirty  which  had 
been  nominated.  In  1809  and  181 0  his  Grace  won 
two  consecutive  '  Blue  Ribbons.'  At  the  ripe  age  of 
seventy-six  the  third  of  the  Graftons  was  gathered  to 
his  fathers,  having  done  much  for  the  improvement 
of  the.Britisli  race-horse,  and  leaving  as  a  legacy  a 
strain  of  blood  of  which  breeders  are  particularly 
fond. 


II. 

Before  going  farther  it  may  bo  noted  that,  in  the  first 
fifty  years  of  the  two  great  races  run  at  Epsom,  men 
with  titles  carried  all  before  them.  *  The  dukes  and 
lords  of  tue  period,'  it  has  been  said,  '  were  never  done 
scoring.'  The  Oaks  three  times,  and  the  Derby  as 
often,  fell  to  the  name  of  Bedford  before  these  races 
were  twenty  years  old.  Lord  Grosvenor,  in  his  day, 
was  credited  with  a  victory  in  the  Oaks  on  six  occa- 
sions, three  of  them  being  secured  in  consecutive 
years,  and  he  thrice  '  landed  '  the  Derby  as  well;  The 
number  of  these  two  races  won  by  the  ducal  house  of 
Grafton  has  just  been  stated.     Thirty-two  times,  in 


44  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

all,  have  Derby  and  Oaks  fallen  to  Dukes.  As  for  '  mere 
lords,'  as  Carlyle  called  a  branch  of  the  aristocracy, 
they  corae  to  the  front  all  through  the  chronicle, 
having  on  j"'^rty  different  occasions  provided  the 
"winner ;  whilst  the  noble  roll  of  baronets  has  twenty- 
six  times  been  credited  with  '  Blue  Ribbon  '  or  'Garter.' 
On  two  or  three  occasions  the  earlier  races  were  com- 
peted for  by  men  of  title  only. 

Here,  for  instance,  is  a  sample  of  how  matters  used 
to  be  :  in  1779  only  one  commoner  ran  a  horse,  and  of 
the  eleven  animals  which  came  to  the  post,  two  were 
the  property  of  the  then  Prince  of  Wales,  two  belonged 
to  the  Duke  of  Bedford,  two  to  Lord  Giosvenor,  one 
to  the  Duke  of  St.  Albans,  others  to  Lords  Egremont, 
Barrymore,  and  G.  H.  Hastings,  Mr.  Lade  being  the 
commoner.  In  1794,  when  only  four  ran,  three  of 
ihern  belonged  to  lords,  the  other  was  owned  by  a 
Duke !  Again,  three  years  afterwards,  the  Derby 
field  was  entirely  composed  of  the  horses  of  titled 
owners  ! 

The  fourth  Duke  of  Grafton,  destined  also  to  become 
a  turf  celebrity,  was  born  in  1760,  and  not  till  Queen 
Victoria  had  been  for  a  period  of  seven  years  on  trie 
throne  did  he  die,  having  attained  his  eighty-fourth 
year.  During  the  lifetime  of  his  father,  the  fourth 
Duke  did  not  become  conspicuous  on  the  turf.  After 
succeeding  to  the  title  and  estates,  he  continued  to 
maintain  the  Grafton  stud  successfully,  winning  many 
of  the  important  stakes  of  his  period.  In  one  year  ho 
won  what  was  then  thouglit  an  enormous  sum,  over 
twelve  thousand  guineas  !  The  Derby  fell  to  him  only 
on  one  occasion,  but  he  was  half  a  dozen  times  hailed 


MEN  WHO  HAVE   WON  THE  DERBY.         45 

winner  of  tho  Oaks,  and  five  times  he  was  fortunate 
enough  to  win  the  Two  Thousand  Guineas. 

Magnificent  presents  are  often  given  to  successful 
jockeys — £1,000,  and  even  £2,000,  being  occasionally 
bestowed  on  those  important '  personages'  for  winning 
a  Derby  or  great  handicap.  For  winning  two  im- 
portant races  for  the  Duke  of  Grafton,  John  Day,  a 
jockey  of  the  period,  and  an  artist  in  the  saddle,  was 
sent  for  by  his  Grace  in  order  to  be  presented  with  a 
gift.  John  appeared  hat  in  hand,  and,  making  his 
best  bow,  stood  before  tho  Duke.  '  John  Day,'  said 
his  employer,  '  I  have  sent  for  you  as  I  am  going  to 
make  you  a  present  for  your  good  riding ;  there  is  a 
twenty-pound  note  for  you,  and  I  hope  you  will  not 
waste  it,  but  take  great  care  of  it.'  In  those  days 
a  present  of  £20  to  a  jockey  was  esteemed  a 
very  high  compliment  indeed.  A  turf-writer,  speak- 
ing, some  forty  years  ago,  of  the  Dukes  of  Grafton, 
says :  '  A  mere  list  of  their  most  celebrated  winners 
would  occupy  more  space  than  we  can  well  afford, 
but  they  are  said  to  have  netted  nearly  a  quarter 
of  a  million  sterling  in  public  stakes.  The  two 
Dukes  have  been  alike  and  equally  distinguished 
for  tlieir  extreme  honour,  liberaHty,  and  love  of 
sport.' 

Harking  back  to  the  beginning  of  the  Derby,  the 
first  wir^ner  was  Sir  Charles  Banbury,  who  gained  the 
'  Blue  Ilibbon  '  by  means  of  his  horse  Diomed.  Sir 
Charles  departed  this  life  on  March  31st,  1821,  at  the 
good  old  age  of  eighty-one.  Born  in  the  year  1740, 
he  had,  before  he  was  thirty  years  of  age,  become  the 
owner  of  several  race-horses ;  so  early,  indeed,  as  17G7, 


46  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

he  was  well  known  as  a  sportsman  of  some  degree  of 
mettle.  Like  many  other  men  who  have  devoted 
themselves  to  a  life  on  the  turf,  he  was  afflicted  with 
a  sort  of  craze,  avIi  h,  put  in  so  many  words,  Avas 
that  he  possessed  '  the  best  horse  in  the  world.'  The 
animal  in  question  was  a  horse  named  Bellario,  a  son 
of  Brilliant,  a  fiimous  racer  and  stallion  of  its  day,  tbu 
property  of  Mr.  Crofts,  of  Norfolk,  a  gentleman  who 
acted  in  many  ways  as  a  kind  of  *  coach '  or  mentor 
to  Sir  Charles  when  he  first  came  on  the  turf.  Bel- 
lario was  started  upon  several  occasions  against  the 
famous  horse  Eclipse,  and  although  always  beaten,  the 
owner  continued  to  believe  that  it  was  the  better  horse 
of  the  two.  He  was,  in  fact,  a  splendid  judge  of  every 
person's  horses  but  his  own.  Sir  Charles  Banbury's 
successes  on  the  turf  have  been  characterized  as 
'  chiefly  of  the  small-beer  kind,'  and  except  on  the 
three  occasions  on  which  he  won  the  Derby,  the 
victory  of  Eleanor  in  the  Oaks,  a  double  event,  and 
of  Smolensko  in  the  Two  Thousand  Guineas,  also 
a  double  event,  the  characterization  may  stand 
good ;  but  to  win  the  Derby  three  times  is  a  slice  of 
Fortune's  cake  of  which  any  man  might  well  be 
proud. 

Sir  Charles  was  a  member  of  the  Jockey  Club,  and 
played  a  part  in  the  celebrated  investigation  which 
took  place  as  to  the  running  of  Escape,  a  horse  belong- 
ing to  the  Prince  of  Wales.  The  baronet  is  reputed  to 
have  behaved  rather  fiercely  over  this  affair,  and  to 
have  bluntly  told  His  Royal  Highness  that  if  he  con- 
tinued to  employ  Chifney  as  his  jockey  no  gentleman 
would  start  a  horse  to  run  against  him.     The  jockey 


MEN  WHO  HAVE  WON  THE  DERBY.  47 

(who  narrates  in  his  pamphlet,  'Genius  Genuine,'  that 
*  the  row '  was  entirely  of  the  noble  baronet's  own 
seeking)  was  well  able  to  turn  tiie  arguments  em- 
ployed by  Sir  Charles  against  himself;  he  asked  that 
the  in-and-out  running  of  some  of  that  gentleman's 
own  horses  should  be  explained :  '  Bellario  gets  beaten 
by  a  bad  horse  one  day,  and  the  next  goes  and  beats 
a  very  good  animal.  How  comes  that  to  pass  ?'  asked 
the  jockey. 

Sir  Charles  enjoys  the  credit,  or  the  discredit,  as 
some  people  think,  of  having  instituted  two-3'ear-old 
races.  In  the  olden  time  races  were  usually  run  over 
the  long  distance  of  four  miles,  the  horses,  as  a  rule, 
carrying  from  ten  to  twelve  stone.  Personally  Sir 
Charles  was  a  man  of  good  means.  His  father,  the 
Rev.  Sir  William  Bunbury,  was  originally  a  clergy- 
man, and  Vicar  of  Mildenhall  in  Suffolk.  That  gentle- 
man ultimately  succeeded  to  a  title  and  the  estates  of 
his  uncle.  '  H.  B.,'  the  caricaturist,  was  a  younger 
brother  of  Sir  Charles.  Horace  Walpole  described  the 
productions  of  '  H.  B.'  as  being  the  work  of  a  second 
Hogarth. 

The  horse-racing  baronet  had  a  seat  in  the  House 
of  Commons,  and  was  also  at  one  time  Secretary  of 
Embassy  in  Paris.  Sir  Charles  is  known  to  have 
suffered  very  much  from  domestic  troubles ;  his  first 
v.'ife  was  the  beautiful  Lady  Sarah  Lermox,  whom  he 
was  necessitated  to  divorce  in  1776,  in  consequence  of 
her  adulterous  connection  with  Lord  William  Gordon. 

This  brief  notice  of  Sir  Charles  may  be  wound  up 
with  the  following  piquant  anecdote  :  Sir  Charles's 
training  groom,  a  person  of  the  name  of  Cox,  being 


48  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

taken  seriously  ill  about  the  date  of  the  Epsom 
summer  meetincf  in  1801,  his  friends  thous^ht  it  risrht 
that  he  should  be  visited  by  a  clergyman,  in  order 
that  he  miij;ht  receive  some  reliqious  consolation  before 
his  death.  When  the  parson  arrived  at  Cox's  house, 
he  found  that  the  poor  man  was  speechless  ;  but  from 
the  efforts  he  was  making  to  address  him,  the  good 
priest  thought  that  he  must  have  something  on  his 
mind  of  which  he  was  anxious  to  disburden  himself, 
■whereupon  he  earnestly  exhorted  him  to  relieve  his 
overburdened  mind  by  confessing  his  secret,  no  matter 
what  it  might  be.  Making  a  terrible  effort,  the  dying 
man  rose  up  in  his  bed,  and,  with  the  dews  of  death  on 
his  forehead,  said  in  hollow  tones  to   the  expectant 

clergyman:  'Depend  on  it,  Eleanor  is  a  d d  fine 

mare  !'  which  were  his  last  words,  for  no  sooner  had  he 
gasped  them  out  than  he  fell  back  dead. 

As  was  the  rule  of  several  of  his  racing  contem- 
poraries, Lord  Grosvenor  bred  his  own  horses,  John 
Btdl,  winner  of  the  Derby  in  1792,  being  the  sire  he 
most  esteemed,  as  was  evidenced  by  the  fact  that  six 
colts  got  by  him  had  been  named  for  the  Derby  before 
he  died.  Three  times  in  the  course  of  five  years  was 
Lord  Grosvenor  hailed  winner  of  the  '  Blue  Ribbon,' 
whilst  that  noble  horse  has  contributed  as  many  as  six 
to  the  list  of  Oaks  winners.  Born  in  l7ol,  and  com- 
mencing his  career  on  the  turf  at  the  age  of  twenty- 
two,  his  lordship  speedily  became  the  owner  of  a 
magnificent  stud  of  race-horses.  However,  at  one 
time  he  was  so  very  poor  that  he  would  have  been 
obliged  to  abandon  a  match  by  which  he  stood  to 
Avin  a  very  large  sum  of  money — it  was  the  match 


MEN  WHO  HAVE  WON  THE  DERBY.  49 

between  his  lordship's  horse  Gimcrack  and  the  Earl  of 
Abingdon's  Cardhial  York.  By  the  aid  of  Mr.  Elwes, 
the  notorious  miser,  who  lent  Lord  Grosvenor  a  sum 
of  £3,000  to  make  up  the  stakes,  his  horse  was  en- 
abled to  run  the  match.  It  is  related  that  Elwes,  on 
returning  home  from  seeing  the  race  run,  scrambled 
over  the  Devil's  Dyke  at  Newmarket  to  avoid  paying 
a  toll  of  sixpence,  and  nearly  broke  his  neck  in  doing 
so.     The  Earl  died  on  xVugust  5rh,  1S02. 

Lord  Clermont,  wlio  won  the  Derb}^  in  1785,  died 
in  November,  1805,  at  the  venerable  age  of  eighty- 
four,  having  begun  his  racing  career  in  1751.  At  his 
death  he  was  '  father  of  the  turf,'  and  was  at  one 
time,  in  conjunction  with  Lord  Farnham,  the  possessor 
of  a  considerable  stud  of  excellent  horses.  He  was 
much  abused,  and  was  once  denouncad  as  *  a  hardened 
veteran  in  every  kind  of  iniquit}'.'  A  good  story  is  told 
about  his  lordship  and  the  Prince:  'On  one  occasion, 
shortly  before  his  death,  the  Earl  accompanied  the 
Prince  of  Wales  to  Pagshot,  and  it  being  winter,  and 
his  lordship  being  at  the  time  much  indisposed,  had 
wrapped  his  head  in  a  sort  of  flannel  hood.  Thus 
equipped  the  Prince  and  his  companion  pursued  their 
journey,  the  passengers  remarking  what  an  excellent 
young  man  he  was  thus  to  go  out  an  airing  Avith  his 
old  aunt,  the  Princess  Amelia.' 

Lord  Egremont  was  an  ardent  and  honest  folloAver 
of  the  '  sport  of  kings.'  This  nobleman  died  in  the 
year  1837,  in  the  eighty  -  sixth  year  of  his  age, 
having  held  an  enjoyable  position  on  the  tiu-f  for 
a  period  of  half  a  century.  At  one  time  there  were 
in  his  stud  nearly  seventy  thoroughbred  brood-mares, 

4 


so  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

and  no  single  individual,  perhaps,  ever  owned  so  largo 
a  stud  of  horses. 

Among  other  winners  of  the  Derby  occurs  the  name 
of  Lord  Foley,  who  won  the  race  in  1806  with  Paris,  a 
son  of  Sir  Peter  Teazle.  When  he  began  '  racing  '  he 
was  possessed  of  an  income  of  £18,000  a  year,  as  also 
a  sum  in  readv  money  of  £100,000,  all  of  which  was 
lost  by  non-efiective  speculations  on  the  turf  '  A.nd 
no  wonder,'  says  a  sporting  writer,  '  seeing  that  ho 
was  for  some  years  a  confederate  of  that  most  in- 
Yeterate  of  all  gamblers — Charles  James  Fox.'  F'roin 
the  year  1772  to  1793,  when  Lord  Foley  died,  these 
gentlemen  were  partners  in  a  numerous  and  excellent 
stud. 

In  1788  the  Prince  of  Wales,  afterwards  George  IV., 
was  well  known  on  the  turf,  winning  the  Derby  in  the 
year  just  named  by  means  of  his  horse  Sir  Thomas, 
Avhich  beat  ten  competitors.  His  Ro3'al  Highness  ex- 
perienced a  troublesome  time  during  his  connection 
with  the  turf,  which  began  in  1784,  and  was  carried  on 
with  great  ardour  for  a  period  of  two  years,  when 
from  embarrassed  circumstances  he  was  compelled  to 
rolincpiish  racing  till  his  debts  had  been  settled.  Upon 
his  return  to  Newmarket  in  1788  he  once  more  threw 
himself  into  the  delights  of  sporting  life.  In  October, 
1789,  on  the  Prince  being  accused  of  complicity  in  a 
supposed  falsely-run  race,  in  wliich  His  Royal  Iligh- 
ness's  horse  Escaj^.e  was  ridden  by  Samuel  Chifncy, 
one  of  the  great  horsemen  of  his  day,  he  again  retired. 
Explanations  were  demanded  on  the  following  day, 
when  the  same  horse,  ridden  by  the  same  jockey,  won 
a  race  with  great  ease.     Chifney  madean  affidavit,  and 


MEN  WHO  HAVE   WOX  THE  DERJV.  51 

was  also  examined  on  tho  occasion  by  several  gentle- 
men at  the  request  of  the  Prince  ;  whilst  the  stewards 
of  the  Jockey  Club  inquired  into  the  case.  What  may 
be  termed  a  'profound  sensation'  arose  over  the 
aft'air,  about  whicli  much  vvas  written,  and  much  more 
was  said.  I  ^hifney's  pamphlet  on  the  subject  is  now 
very  rare,  and  it  has  been  said  of  the  Escape  scandal 
that  it  was  '  well  enveloped  in  a  crowd  of  lies.' 

Wlien,  as  George  IV.,  after  much  entreaty, 
the  Prince  returned  to  the  pursuit  of  his  favourite 
pas;ime,  he  once  m.ore  employed  Cliifney,  and  con- 
tinued his  services  in  connection  witli  the  royal  stud. 
Till  the  day  he  died  the  King  continued  to  take  a 
very  keen  interest  in  racing  matters.  While  on  his 
death-bed  one  of  his  horses  ran  in  the  Ascot  Cup,  and 
so  interested  was  His  Majesty^,  that  he  had  a  messenger 
engaged,  who  was  charged  to  come  express  with  the 
result  of  the  race.  The  Duke  of  York,  the  King's 
brother,  twice  won  the  Derby.  His  career  on  the 
turf  was  a  somewhat  exciting  one  ;  he  was  a  hon  vivitnt 
of  the  good  old  school,  and  left  this  sublunary  scene 
deeply  in  debt  to  all  who  would  trust  him. 

in. 

It  would  prove  interesting  to  have  a  list  of  those 
men  who  have,  especially  in  times  past,  tried  in  vain 
to  win  the  Derby — men  who  entered  many  horses  and 
ran  them  in  vain ;  some  of  them,  as  they  are  them- 
selves reputed  to  have  said,  '  not  even  seeing  the  road 
the  winner  went.'  A  long  array  of  names  might  be 
compiled  of  men  who   never  won  the  Derby.     The 

4—2 


52  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

names  of  Lade,  Watson,  and  Queensberry  may  be  cited 
as  being  among  the  unsuccessful.  Other  members  of 
the  peerage  were  quite  as  unsuccessful  as  '  Old  Q.' 
The  chivalric  but  hot-tempered  Earl  of  Glasgow  might 
be  named,  as  well  as  Lord  Palmerston  and  many  more, 
some  of  whom,  imleed,  seem  to  have  lived  on  with 
the  one  idea  of  winning  the  great  race,  but  never 
succeeded  in  doing  so,  although  in  all  probability  they 
had  expended  thousands  of  p()unds  in  the  endeavour. 

There  is  one  gentleman  who  more  than  all  the 
others  deserves  a  prominent  place  among  those  who 
have  aided  in  making  the  turf  popular — Lord  George 
Bentinck.  He  never  won  the  Derby,  but  was  un- 
ceasing in  his  endeavour  to  promote  honest  sport. 
Those  who  desire  to  know  more  about  this  estimable 
gentleman  than  can  be  told  them  in  these  pages, 
can  gratify  their  curiosity  by  reading  Mr.  Disraeli's 
biography,  in  which  occur  these  appreciative  words  : 
'  He  had  become  the  lord  paramount  of  that  strange 
world  so  difficult  to  sway,  and  which  requires  for  its 
government  both  a  strong  resolve  and  a  courtly 
breeding.  He  had  them  both ;  and  though  the 
black-leg  might  quail  before  the  awful  scrutiny  of 
his  piercing  eye,  there  never  was  a  man  so  scrupu- 
lously polite  to  his  inferiors  as  Lord  George  Bentinck. 
The  turf,  too,  was  not  merely  the  scene  of  the  triumphs 
of  his  stud  and  betting-book.  He  had  purified  its 
practice  and  had  elevated  its  character,  and  he  was 
prouder  of  this  achievement  than  of  any  other  con- 
nected with  his  sporting  life.' 

Lord  George,  had  he  not  previously  disposed  of  his 
stud,  would  probably  have  won  both  Derby  and  St. 


MEN  WHO  HAVE   IVON  THE  DERHV.  53 

Lcgcr  with  Surplice,  which  was  sold  with  his  other 
horses,  and  won  these  two  races  in  1S48.  It  was  the 
day  after  the  victory  of  Surplice  on  Epsom  Downs 
that  he  uttered  that  'sort  of  superb  groan'  which  has 
become  familiar  from  its  relation  by  his  biographer, 
Lord  Beaconsfield. 

'You  do  not  know  what  the  Derby  is,'  he  moaned 
out  in  the  library  of  the  House  of  Commons. 

'Yes  1  do ;  it's  the  ''  Blue  Ribbon  of  the  Turf,"'  was 
Mr.  ]3israeli's  repl}". 

His  lordship  sold  the  whole  of  his  horses  in  one 
lot  to  Mr.  Mostyn  '  for  £10,000,'  having  previously 
offered  them  to  Mr.  George  Payne,  who  gave  £300  to 
be  allowed  to  consider  the  matter  for  a  day,  and  then 
declined.  Seven  days  after  Surplice  won  the  St  Leger, 
Lord  George  was  found  lying  dead  on  his  father's 
estate  of  Welbeck.  The  name  of  Lord  George  Bentinck 
will  assuredly  be  long  honoured  on  the  turf.  As  may 
be  gathered  from  what  has  been  said,  Lord  George 
was  the  sworn  foe  to  turf  evil-doers;  he  had  a  keen 
scent  for  all  sorts  of  abuses,  and  was  quick  to  have 
them  exposed  and  reformed. 

Side  by  side  with  Lord  George  Bentinck  must  be 
placed  Admiral  Rous,  the  law-giver  of  the  turf,  whose 
name  was  for  years  a  terror  to  racing  evil-doers,  and 
who  may  be  said  to  have  been,  from  the  year  1840  to 
the  day  of  his  death,  in  June,  1877,  dictator  on  all 
things  pertaining  to  horse-racing,  in  which  capacity 
ho  has  had  no  successor.  It  is  said — for  the  Jockey 
Club  docs  not  make  its  proceedings  public — that  he 
was  the  means  of  dragging  that  institution  out  of  the 
quagmire  into  which  it  had  fallen  in  a  financial  a.spcct. 


54  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OE  THE  TURF. 

In  a  few  3'enrs  he  had  quintupled  its  income.  Admiral 
Rous  was  in  his  day  distinguished  for  the  felicity  of 
his  work  as  a  handicapper,  with  which  he  took  infinite 
pains,  watching  horses  that  were  supposed  to  be  on 
'  the  dodge '  with  an  eagle  eye,  in  order  to  prevent 
their  being  apportioned  a  false  amount  of  weight. 
But  in  spite  of  his  almost  unceasing  yigilance,  the 
Admiral  was  sometimes  '  done  '  by  daring  owners  and 
trainers,  and  on  occasion  some  horse  would  be  admitted 
into  a  handicap  at  a  stone  or  ten  pound  less  weight 
than  it  ought  to  have  carried.  The  Admiral  never 
ceased  to  raise  his  voice  loudly  against  the  heavy 
betting,  which  he  maintained  was  the  curse  of  the 
turf  and  disgraceful  to  all  concerned.  But  it  was  only 
against  those  who  wagered  big  sums  he  fulminated; 
he  did  not  object  to  betting  on  horse-racing  on  prin- 
ciple. Against  men  Avho  staked  £20,  or  even  £50  or 
£100,  nothing  was  said ;  but  when  he  heard  of  persons 
winninsT  tens  of  thousands,  he  used  to  maintain  that 
such  sums  could  not  be  won  honestly,  and  hs  always 
asserted  Avith  great  earnestness  that  all  such  ought 
to  be  '  warned  off,'  and  in  the  case  of  such  sums  being 
won  by  members  of  the  Jockey  Club,  that  they  should 
cease  to  belong  to  it.  With  regard  to  another  pernicious 
practice  that  attends  modern  horse-racing — namely, 
the  bestowal  of  large  sums  of  money  on  jockeys  for 
winning  important  races — he  also  protested  in  vigorous 
fashion,  and  with  some  degree  of  bitterness.  His  idea 
of  trainers  and  jockeys  was  not  a  high  one,  and  he 
never  made  pets  of  either;  'they  should  be  kept  in 
tlieir  places,'  was  his  constant  iteration  when  he  heard 
of  fat^liionable  horsemen  being  guests  at  clubs  and 


MEN  WHO  HAVE  WON  THE  DERBY.  55 

afternoon  teas.  The  Admiral  was  as  strict  a  discipli- 
narian on  the  turf  as  he  had  been  on  the  qnarter-deck. 
On  all  matters  of  the  tiu'f  he  Avas  in  his  time  *  the 
authority';  his  judgments  were  willing! 3^  accepted  in 
cases  of  dispute,  and  a  volume  which  he  issued  on 
racing  law  contains  some  curious  and  interesting  cases. 
Upon  the  occasion  of  a  handsome  testimonial  being 
presented  to  Admiral  Rous,  Earl  Granville,  who  filled 
the  chair  and  Avho  made  the  presentation,  concluded 
an  elegant  address  with  the  following  eulogium : 
'Among  the  men  of  wealth,  character,  and  position 
whose  patronage  has  done  so  much  for  the  turf,  our 
honoured  guest  of  this  evening  holds  a  conspicuous 
place.  He  has  always  done  his  best  to  repress  every- 
thing of  a  fraudulent  or  dishonourable  nature.  He 
lias  laboured  to  reconcile  conflicting  interests  ;  and 
although  he  may  have  committed  mistakes,  as  the 
best  and  greatest  of  human  beings  are  liable  to  do,  he 
has  enjoyed  the  respect  or  afi'ection  of  every  class  of 
the  racing  community,  and  I  am  sure  there  is  but  one 
feeling  among  all  present  this  evening,  and,  indeed, 
among  all  true  sportsmen  throughout  Great  Britain, 
that  if  Admiral  Rous  should  retire  he  will  leave  a  void 
impossible  to  fill.' 

IV. 

There  have  been  p''enty  of  good  men  on  the  turf  who 
never  had  the  good  fortune  to  win  the  Derby  or  take 
the  Oaks.  In  the  records  of  the  St.  Leger  will  be 
found  names  that  do  not  occur  in  the  annals  of  the 
Epsom  races ;  and  men  who  never  made  their  mark 


56  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

either  on  Doncaster  town  moor  or  on  Epsom  Downs 
(lid  much  for  the  turf,  and  expended  both  iheir  money 
and  their  brain-power  in  aiding  the  national  pastime. 
Among  the  early  winners  of  the  Derb}',  the  name 
of  Denis  O'Kell}^  must  not  pass  without  remem- 
brance in  these  pages  ;  his  famous  race-horse  is 
known  in  the  history  of  the  turf  The  well-known 
prophecy,  'Eclipse  first;  the  rest  nowhere,'  still  lives 
in  the  annals  of  racing.  Colonel  O'Kelly  was  in  his 
time  renowned  as  a  breeder  of  horse },  and  was  so  for- 
tunate as  to  win  the  Derby  on  two  occasions,  with 
descendants  of  his  great  horse — in  1781  with  Young 
Eclipse,  in  1784  with  Serjeant.  O'Kelly  was  a  most 
fortunate  man;  one  of  his  untried  two-3car-olds 
brought  him  the  then  (1775)  unheard-of  price  of  1,000 
guineas.  A  word  or  tw^o  in  memory  of  '  Old  Q '  (the 
Duke  of  Queensberry)  may  fitly  be  inserted  here.  He 
was  a  man  of  the  turf  more  than  137  years  since.  At 
the  July  Newmarket  Meeting  of  1748,  when  he  was  in 
his  twenty-third  year,  he  rode  two  of  his  own  horses, 
and  scored  a  victory  on  each  of  them.  As  Earl  of 
March  he  was  esteemed  to  be  the  best  gentleman 
horse-rider  of  his  time  ;  he  never  tired  of  match- 
making, and  rode  in  some  of  them  almost  as  well  as 
Dick  Goodison,  his  own  jockey,  who  was  famous  at 
Newmarket,  and  also  on  other  race-courses.  The 
Duke  of  Queensberry  was  a  social  sinner  of  the  deepest 
dye,  and  has  often  been  depicted  in  his  character  of 
the  '  wicked  nobleman,'  whose  name  was  '  a  terror  to 
all  women.'  It  would  not  be  a  difficult  task  to  fill 
a  volume  of  many  pages  with  an  account  of  his  terrible 
doinirs  as  a  sj ambler  and  'man  of  the  world.'     On  the 


MEN  WHO  HA  VE   WON  THE  DERB  Y.  57 

tnrf,  it  is  said,  he  always  went  straight ;  and  his 
career  on  the  race  course  Avas  of  great  length,  lasting 
till  he  died,  December  23rd,  1810,  aged  eighty-six 
years.  Some  of  his  achievements  on  horseback  were 
wonderful,  and  his  matches  were  the  talk  of  the  time  ; 
liis  judgments,  both  of  horses  and  men,  were  pene- 
trating and  acute ;  no  man  was  more  difficult  to 
deceive  in  any  matter  connected  with  the  sport  of 
horse-racing,  and  he  became  a  match  for  all  the  'legs'  of 
the  turf,  many  of  whom  tried  their  best  to  '  have '  him. 

Lord  Egremont  has  been  already  referred  to  in  a 
preceding  page.  In  the  years  1788-89  that  nobleman 
took  the  '  Garter  of  the  Turf,'  by  the  aid  of  his  lillies 
Nightshade  and  Tag;  in  1795  he  won  the  same  race 
with  riatino,  in  ISOO  with  Ephemera,  and  again 
in  1820  with  Carolina.  His  Derby  victors  were : 
Assassin  in  1782,  Hannibal  in  1803,  Cardinal  Beaufort 
in  the  following  year.  Election  in  1807,  and  Lapdog  in 
1826.  His  lordship  lived  till  he  attained  the  great  age 
of  eighty-five,  and  for  sixty  years  of  that  time  he  was 
a  patron  of  the  turf,  spending  tens  of  thousands  on  his 
stables,  horses,  and  stable  retainers ;  and  there  are 
man}^  who  will  think  he  Avas  well  rewarded  by  winning 
the  Derby  and  Oaks  so  often.  Lord  Egremont  was 
the  possessor  of  a  very  large  income,  and  was  exceed- 
ingly benevolent  and  charitable. 

Sir  Tatton  Sykes  was  born  on  August  22nd,  1772, 
and  died  in  March,  1803,  at  the  veneraMe  age  of 
ninety- one.  Than  Sir  'J'atton  no  man  better  de- 
serves a  record  in  the  annals  of  the  turf,  and  such 
was  the  esteem  in  which  he  had  been  held  during  his 
lifetime  that  3,000  persons  assembled  to  see  him  laid 


53  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

in  his  irrave.  The  Yorkshire  baronet  was  a  keen 
turfite ;  in  his  early  days  in  London  he  walked  down 
to  Epsom  to  see  Eager  win  the  Derby  in  1791 ;  and  up 
to  1861  Caller  Ou's  St.  Leger  was  the  seventy-sixth  he 
had  seen,  with  only  one  exception.  Sir  Tatton  was 
one  of  the  greatest  breeders  of  blood  stock  of  his  day ; 
in  1863,  at  the  period  of  his  death,  he  possessed  a  stud 
of  200  horses ;  and  he  bred,  among  others,  Grey 
Momus,  St.  Giles,  Dally,  and  Lecturer.  The  famous 
Yorkshire  baronet  was  an  excellent  judge  of  horse- 
flesh, and  was  a  frequent  buyer  at  ]\Iessrs.  Tattersall's 
northern  sales  ;  the  very  best  blood  of  the  English 
thoroughbreds  was  concentrated  in  some  of  his  brood- 
mares. As  an  amateur  jockey  he  was  well  known  in 
the  saddle,  and  won  a  good  many  races.  Sir  Tatton 
was  a  model  landlord,  and  took  a  continuous  interest 
in  the  breeding  of  cattle  and  sheep,  of  all  of  which  he 
was  an  excellent  judge.  He  was  the  idol  of  his  county, 
and  died  universally  regretted. 

The  owner  of  the  far-famed  Voltigcur,  the  second 
Earl  of  Zetland,  deserves  a  passing  record.  He  was 
by  no  means  an  enthusiastic  turfite,  although  a  liberal 
pation  of  the  tine  sport  of  racing.  The  grand  horse 
Avhich  has  just  been  named  cost  only  £350 — not  much 
to  give  for  an  animal  which  was  destined  to  win  the 
great  double  event  of  his  year  (1850),  the  Derby  and 
St.  Leger.  The  splendid  match  of  1851,  '  the  race  of 
the  century,'  between  Flying  Dutchman  and  Voltigeur, 
and  which,  after  a  keen  battle,  was  won  by  the  Earl  of 
Eglinton's  horse,  will  long  live  in  the  annals  of  horse- 
racing.  His  lordship  died  in  his  seventy-ninth  year; 
and  his  great  horse  only  survived  him  nine  months. 


MEN  WHO  HAVE  WON  THE  DERBY.  59 

If  Sir  Joscpli  Hawlcy  had  possessed  no  other 
horse  than  Bkie  Gown,  and  never  won  any  other 
race  than  the  Derby  of  1S68,  he  would  have  gone 
duvrn  to  posterity  as  one  of  the  most  fortunate  turf 
magnates  of  his  day  and  generation.  It  was  found 
after  the  race  that  all  the  usual  backers  of  horses  were 
'  on  Blue  Gown'  to  a  man  ;  it  took  one  book-maker  and 
his  staff  of  clerks  three  or  four  days  to  send  off  the 
various  sums  of  money  which  his  customers  had  won 
on  that  3'ear's  Derby.  For  a  time  Sir  Joseph  was  a 
l^opular  idol ;  he  had  run  Blue  Gown  to  oblige  the 
public,  so  it  was  I'eported  ;  but  the  great  fact  of  the 
matter  was  that  P]lue  Gown  scored  the  victory  on  his 
merits  ;  neither  Green  Sleeve  nor  riosicrucian  could 
have  won.  Sir  Joseph  was  undoubtedly  one  of  the 
most  fortunate  turf-men  of  the  present  generation ; 
but  it  is  no  secret  that  he  won  almost  nothing  but  the 
stakes  by  the  victory  of  his  horse  Blue  Gown.  The 
stakes  that  year  amounted  in  the  gross  to  £7,000. 

The  baronet  of  Kingsclere  was  wont  to  throw  in  for 
large  sums  over  his  Derby  horses ;  £80,000  is  said  to 
have  been  pocketed  by  him  when  Teddirigton,  Beads- 
man, and  Musjid  won.  Sir  Joseph  had  backed  Blue 
Gown,  so  it  was  said  at  the  time,  to  win  a  similar 
amount,  along  with  his  other  two  horses,  Green  Sleeve 
and  Rosicrucian,  After  the  big  bet  in  question  had 
been  taken  about  Blue  Gown,  it  was  thought  by  Sir 
Joseph  that  he  was  inferior  to  the  other  two,  and  in- 
structions were  given  to  hedge  all  the  money  for 
which  he  had  been  backed,  which  was  done.  Enor- 
mous sums  had  been  laid  against  Blue  Gown  for  the 
Derby  by  all   the  leading  bookmakers;  and  if   that 


6o  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

horse  had  won  the  Two  Thousand  Guineas  (and  it  was 
thought  at  the  time  he  could  not  have  lost  the  race), 
it  would  have  been  impossible  for  them  to  adjust  their 
books — the  public  would  not  look  at  the  other  horses ; 
and  in  the  event  of  the  bookmakers  not  beinof  able  to 
'  back  back '  some  of  tlieir  money,  the  ring  would  have 
been  broke.  Such  Avas  the  gossip  which  became 
current  at  the  tiine.  Sir  Joseph  Hawley  made  a 
public  declaration  to  win  with  either  Rosicrucian  or 
Green  Sleeve,  and  would,  no  doubt,  have  preferred  to 
have  won  with  one  or  other,  and  so  realize  the 
£80,000  for  which  he  had  backed  them ;  there  was  in 
reality  no  'generosity'  in  his  allowing  Blue  Gown  to 
com])Cte.  Had  Blue  Gown  not  run,  Sir  Joseph  Hawley 
would  not  have  won  the  Derby  of  1868. 

Sir  Joseph's  first  great  success  on  the  turf  was 
achieved  by  Miami,  in  1847,  when,  ridden  by  Sim 
Templeman,  that  fine  mare  won  the  Oaks.  But  time 
had  still  greater  triumphs  in  store  for  the  '  lucky 
baronet,'  as  he  came  to  be  called.  Having  become  the 
purchaser,  from  Mr.  John  Gully,  of  Mendicant,  winner 
of  the  Oaks  in  1846,  at  the  then  rather  long  price  of 
three  thousand  guineas,  that  mare  was  the  means  of 
adding  one  day  to  his  bank  account  a  sum  of  about 
£80,000,  won  by  her  gallant  son  Beadsman,  who 
was  credited  with  the  Derby  of  18-18.  Ten  3-ears 
afterwards,  namely,  in  1868,  Blue  Gown,  Beadsman's 
son,  repeated  the  story  of  his  sire's  victory  !  But 
before  those  memorable  turf  victories  Sir  Joseph  had 
tasted  the  sweets  of  Derby  honours,  Teddington 
liavino"  won  the  '  Blue  Pabbon '  for  himself  and  his 

O 

colleague,  Mr.  J.  M.  Stanley.     Sir  Joseph  Hawley  won 


MEN  WHO  HAVE   WON  THE  DERBY.  6i 

the  Derby  on  four  occasions,  and  '  landed,'  in  stakes 
and  bets,  more  than  a  quarter  of  a  million  sterling. 
As  has  been  mentioned,  the  lord  of  Leybourne  Grange 
won  the  Oaks  with  Miami ;  he  also  won  the  Two  Thou- 
sand Guineas  with  Fitz-Roland,  and  the  One  Thou- 
sand Guineas  with  Aphrodite.  The  Kentish  baronet's 
name  is  also  recorded  in  the  roll  of  St.  Leger  Avinners. 
Aphrodite  could  only  secure  second  honours  to  the 
win  of  Newminster,  but  Pero  Gomez  credited  Sir 
Josejih  with  the  race  in  1869. 

Sir  Joseph  Hawley  was  a  inan  of  fine  parts,  who 
might,  had  it  pleased  him  to  do  so,  have  mide  his 
mark  in  the  paths  of  either  science  or  literature  ;  but 
he  preferred  to  court  distinction  on  the  turf,  and  suc- 
ceeded— his  success,  indeed,  was  phenomenal.  When 
the  noble  baronet  became  the  purchaser  of  Mendicant, 
his  folly  in  paying  £3,000  for  that  horse  was  sneered 
at  all  round ;  but  the  purchase  was  a  fortunate  one, 
her  son  Beadsman,  as  has  been  told,  winning  the  Derby 
of  1858,  Blue  Gown,  the  son  of  Beadsman,  perpetuating 
the  victory  ten  years  later.  Sir  Joseph  possessed  a  fine 
stud,  and  endeavoured  at  one  time,  but  unsuccess- 
fully, to  make  his  mark  in  the  racing  world  as  a  turf- 
reformer.  He  died  in  tlie  year  1875,  having  attained 
the  age  of  sixty-two  years. 

This  portion  of  the  '  sport  of  kings '  might  be 
greatly  extended  were  it  necessary,  but  it  is  impossible 
to  devote  space  to  all  the  prominent  men  of  the  turf, 
many  of  whom  were  only  gamblers,  who  did  nothing 
to  improve  the  horse  or  purify  the  sport.  In  this 
category  may  be  named  Gully  and  Ridsdale,  about 
"whom  interestinir  talcs  could  be  told,  and  one  or  two 


62  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

other  professional  turfites  miglit  be  bracketed  with 
thera. 

General  Peel,  whose  name  was  at  one  time  a  tower 
of  strength  in  racing  circles,  kept  a  stud  of  horses,  and 
in  his  early  days  was  a  heavy  speculator  at  Tattersalls' 
and  in  the  ring.  The  General  was  the  very  soul  of 
honour,  and  when,  at  the  ripe  old  age  of  eighty  years* 
he  shuffled  off  his  mortal  coil,  he  was  generally  re- 
gretted. The  Earl  of  Wilton,  who  for  a  long  period 
Avas  an  honour  to  the  turf,  died  eight  years  ago  (1882), 
after  having  attained  to  the  venerable  age  of  eighty- 
two.  That  nobleman  was  an  all-round  sportsman  of 
great  ability,  and  was  rich  in  the  possession  of  numer- 
ous fi-iends,  Kotices  of  Mr.  John  Bowes,  Avho  was 
fortunate  enough  to  -win  the  Derby  on  four  occasions, 
Mr.  James  Merry,  the  '  Scottish  ironmaster,'  Mr. 
Stirling  Crawford,  and  Mr.  Saville,  might  have  been 
included  in  these  rather  brief  memoranda,  not  to  speak 
of  Lord  Falmouth,  and  the  Dukes  of  Westminster  and 
Portland,  each  of  whom  have  boon  recipients  of  the 
r>lue  Ribbon  on  two  occasions. 

Enough  has  probably  now  been  revealed  to  show  by 
•whom  the  fortunes  of  the  British  turf  have  been  so 
securely  built  up,  and  the  quality  of  the  British  race- 
horse at  least  maintained,  if  not  improved,  although 
many  names  of  good  men  are  doubtless  wanting  in 
the  narrative. 


DERBY  AND  OTHER  JOCKEYS. 

I. 

The  chief  joclvcys  of  the  period  are  the  fortunate 
follows  of  their  day  and  generation ;  they  have  had  few 
of  those  hardships  to  endure  which  frequently  formed 
the  lot  of  their  predecessors,  and  they  obtain  much 
greater  rewards.  Performing  ihcir  work  in  piesence 
of  a  vast  concourse  of  spectators,  their  triumphs  in 
the  saddle  are  described  to  thousands  in  place  of  the 
tens  who  became  familiar  with  the  achievements  of 
the  old  masters.  Railways  and  newspapers  have  done 
this.  Daily  trains  bear  to  the  appointed  places  of 
sport  thousands  for  the  tens  who,  sixty  years  since, 
used  to  be  present  at  a  race-meeting,  whilst  the  daily 
press  recounts  the  prowess  of  successful  riders.  A  lad 
who  wins  the  Derby  becomes  for  the  moment  a  pcr- 
sdnacje  of  even  more  note  than  the  statesman  who 
expounds  a  Budget.  Tommy  Loates  to  day  is  even 
more  in  the  public  eye  than  Mr.  Gladstone.  Tommy 
has  taken  the  lead  in  his  business.  Whether  it  be  the 
good  horses  that  make  the  good  jockeys,  or  the  good 
jockeys  that  make  the  good  horses,  or  whether  it  be  in 
some  degree  a  mixture  of  both,  need  not  at  present  bo 
argued  ;  the  fact  remains  that  a  man  may  attain  such 
pre-eminence  on  the  turf  as  to  gain  for  him  an  incomo 


64  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

equal  to  that  of  an  Archbishop.  The  incomes  earned 
by  some  professional  horsemen  are  known  to  be  large, 
and  the  presents  every  now  and  then  given  to  them 
for  some  distinguished  feat  have  amounted  to  as  much 
sometimes  as  £3,000 ;  many  of  the  stories  told  about 
jockeys  and  their  presents  require,  however,  to  be 
listened  to  with  caution 

Could  a  complete  chronicle  of  the  lives  and  achieve- 
ments of  the  jockeys  of  England  be  compiled,  it  would 
not  be  devoid  of  interest,  but  in  the  present  work,  the 
records  of  horsemanship  must,  of  necessity,  be  rather 
bald,  as  in  the  early  days  of  the  turf  racing  sadly 
lacked  historians.  It  is  wonderful,  indeed,  that  so 
much  information  has  been  preserved  as  is  now  avail- 
able regarding  the  representative  jockeys  of  last 
century  and  the  years  of  racing  which  preceded  1700, 
Much  of  what  is  extant  has  been  utilized  in  the  follow- 
ing pages,  with  the  view  of  showing  the  changed  social 
conditions  which  now  attend  jockey  life.  Of  the  deeds 
of  daring  accomplished  by  the  professional  horsemen 
of  the  period  the  public  are  kept  well  informed,  their 
doings  being  chronicled  pretty  much  in  the  same 
fashion  as  the  daily  doings  of  Princes  and  politicians. 

The  earliest  public  riders  about  whom  there  is 
reliable  information  are  '  Matchem  Timms '  and  his 
son.  The  father  appears  to  have  been  employed  by 
the  Earl  of  Carlisle  ;  in  1719  he  is  set  down  as  having 
ridden  Buckhunterfor  that  nobleman,  in  the  Gold  Cup 
of  the  York  ]\[eeting.  The  horse  is  said  to  have. been 
a  cood  one,  and  of  value  as  a  trial  horse.  Timms  won 
other  important  races,  and  was  himself  ov/ner  of  Bald 
Peg,  by  Snake,  son  of  the  Lister  Turk  who  won  his 


DERB  V  AM)  O  THER  JOCKE  YS.  6 5 

Majesty's  guineas  at  Richmond  (Yorkshire)  in  1725. 
Young  Timms  was  born  in  1726.  and  became  in  time 
a  horseman  of  some  celebrity,  when  he  rode  for  the 
Dukes  of  Ancaster  and  Devonshire,  Lord  Downe  and 
others.  His  death  took  phice  in  the  year  1791,  on 
30th  September. 

Singleton  senior,  who,  it  has  been  said,  was  the  best 
jockey  of  his  time,  was  born  in  Yorkshire  in  the  year 
1715,  and  died  at  the  ripe  age  of  seventy-eight  years, 
fifty  of  which  were  passed  in  his  business.  As  show- 
ing the  difference  between  then  and  now,  it  has  to  be 
stated  that  the  father  of  John  Singleton  brought  up 
his  family  and  supported  his  wife  and  himself  on 
wages  of  fourpence  a  day — all  he  could  earn.  Under 
such  circumstances  his  children  had  a  hard  life  of  it, 
rendered  still  harder  when  their  bread-winner  died. 

At  a  tender  age,  the  future  jockey  began  to  earn  his 
own  bread  in  the  pastoral  Occupation  of  helping  to 
herd  a  flock  of  cattle  which  were  grazed  on  Ross 
Moor,  eiofht  miles  from  which  could  be  seen  the  wold 
hills,  then  famous  as  a  training  -  ground.  Young 
Singleton's  fancy  was  fired  by  hearing  of  the  race- 
horses trained  thereabouts ;  so  in  the  end  he  ran  away 
from  home,  and  one  morning  early  was  found  at  the 
door  of  Mr.  VVilberforce  Read,  near  the  wolds  then 
unenclosed.  Being  just  in  want  of  a  boy,  Mr.  Read 
engaged  John  Singleton  on  the  then  easily  understood 
terms  of  '  board  and  lodging,'  which  meant  simjjy  a 
bed  among  the  straw,  and  the  run  of  the  kitchen 
when  there  was  anything  to  eat.  Between  master 
and  boy,  thus  brought  together,  a  friendship  began 
which  lusted  throughout  their  respective  lives.     Mr. 


66  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

Read  came  of  a  good  family,  but  was  left  to  begin  the 
world  on  bis  own  account  with  only  a  small  portion. 
He  commenced  farming  on  ground  rented  from  the 
Earl  of  Carlisle,  at  Grimsthorpe,  near  Pocklington,  a 
sporting  neighbourhood,  each  village,  far  and  near, 
having  its  annual  feast,  and  at  every  one  of  these  a 
race  or  two  was  run,  while  in  every  race  there  wore 
numerous  competitors.  Mr.  Read,  taking  to  the  turf, 
sold  his  oxen  and  purchased  racing  stock,  thinking 
thereby  to  mend  his  fortunes. 

The  life  Singleton  led  with  this  gentleman  for  a 
period  of  twenty  years  is  worth  noting.  Read  took  a 
liking  to  him,  and  the  boy  felt  himself  quite  at  home, 
and  always  delighted  in  being  on  the  back  of  a  race- 
horse. Singleton,  having  a  fine  seat  and  good  judgment 
of  pace,  obtained  plent}^  of  riding  at  the  '  feasts,'  and 
speedily  attained  local  fame  as  a  jockey.  One  farmer 
for  whom  he  won  a  race  was  so  well  pleased  that  he 
gave  him  a  ewe,  which  Mr.  Read  agreed  to  keep  for 
him  in  place  of  giving  him  wages,  so  that  in  a  few 
years  the  jockey  found  himself  possessed  of  a  little 
flock  of  sheep,  which  he  sold  in  order  to  assist  his 
master.  Sinodeton,  discoverinsr  that  blood  and  breed- 
ing  played  a  chief  part  in  the  improvement  of  the 
horse,  and  having  gained  experience,  had  come  to 
the  conclusion  that  English  horses  might  be  greatly 
improved  by  the  infusion  of  a  dash  of  Arab  blood,  and 
strongly  advised  his  master  to  put  one  of  his  mares  to 
such  a  horse  ;  but  rooney  being  scarce  at  Grimsthorpe, 
the  only  wa}^  that  suggested  itself  to  Read  was  that  of 
selling  the  little  flock  of  sheep.  A  wage  of  £5  a  year 
was  agreed  to  in  place  of  the  food  hitherto  supplied  to 


DERBY  AND  OTHER  JOCKEYS.  67 

the  increasing  progen}"  of  the  ewe.  The  money  thus 
obtained  was  well  spent ;  it  enabled  Mr.  Read  to  put 
one  of  liis  mares  to  a  stallion  from  Hampton  Court, 
the  produce  being  a  fdly  named  Lucy,  which  won  at 
Hambleton  in  173G,  beating  a  large  field,  and  in  the 
following  year,  being  taken  by  Singleton  to  Morpeth, 
she  won  again.  On  this  journey  of  120  miles,  which 
the  jockey  undertook  with  only  10s.  in  his  pockc::  to 
meet  expenses  by  the  wa}',  he  played  the  part  of 
trainer,  groom,  and  jockey  in  the  fiishion  of  the 
period. 

Being  successful  at  Morpeth,  he  went  to  Stockton 
and  Sunderland,  winning  at  both  places,  and  so  earned 
some  money  for  his  master,  and  not  a  little  reputation 
for  himself.  A  filly  bred  by  Singleton  having  attracted 
the  attention  of  the  Marquis  of  Rockingham,  was 
bought  by  that  nobleman,  who  at  the  same  time 
engaged  Singleton  as  groom  and  jockey  at  the  then 
very  liberal  wages  of  £40  a  year  and  certain  clothes. 
Singleton  had  to  leave  Grimsthorpe  without  payment 
of  his  wages.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  he  never  had  been 
paid  any  money  during  his  service  ;  but  he  received  a 
bond  for  the  amount,  which  he  afterwards  burned, 
Mr.  Read  havinof  had  no  success  in  horse-breedimT: 
after  Sintjleton  left  him.  On  the  other  hand,  the 
jockey  not  only  succeeded  after  leaving  Mr.  Read's 
service,  but  had  succeeded  so  well  even  before  leaving 
him  that  he  had  become  a  landed  proprietor,  and  at 
that  date  owned  an  estate  near  the  place  where  his 
early  days  of  poverty  had  been  passed ;  namely,  in 
the  township  of  Great  Givendale.  The  money  with 
which  the  land  was  bought  had  been  earned  by  Single 

0—2 


63  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

ton  as  a  jockey,  he  having  for  several  years  before 
leaving  been  in  possession  of  the  greater  part  of  the 
ridins:  which  was  needed  in  the  county. 

In  the  year  17-51  Singleton  removed  to  the  Marqnis 
of  Rockinsfham's  stables  at  Newmarket,  where  in  course 
of  time  he  was  entrusted  with  the  entire  charge  of  his 
lordship's  stud.  Singleton  continued  at  Newmarket 
till  1774<,  at  which  date  he  resigned  his  'livery'  in 
favour  of  Christopher  Seaife,  who  had  become  the 
husband  of  one  of  his  nieces. 

DurinQf  his  residence  at  Newmarket  Sinc^leton  was 
well  employed,  riding  many  other  horses  than  those  of 
his  master,  and  hayiug  a  few  of  his  own  in  company 
with  a  colleague  named  Ottley.  He  became  wealthy, 
and  provided  for  many  of  his  poor  relations.  The 
Marquis  of  Rockingham  appreciated  his  services  very 
highly — indeed,  he  appears  to  have  treated  him  more 
as  a  friend  than  a  servant.  '  After  the  great  race 
between  Bay  Malton,  Herod,  Turf,  and  Askham,  over 
the  Beacon  Course  at  Newmarket  First  Spring  Meet- 
ing, 1767,  for  500  guineas  each,  the  Marquis  ordered  a 
gold  cup  to  be  made  on  which  the  figures  of  Bay 
Malton  and  his  rider  are  richly  chased,  with  the 
pedigree  and  performances  of  that  celebrated  horse 
engraven  thereon,  also  a  statement  that  it  was  oftered, 
and  not  accepted,  to  run  anj'  horse,  giving  him  7  lb., 
over  the  flat  for  speed,  or  over  the  six-mile  course  for 
stoutness,  and  that  he  presented  this  cup  to  John 
Singleton,  the  rider  of  Bay  Malton.  Singleton  also 
received,  at  the  same  time,  a  silver  salver,  on  which 
was  engraved  all  the  above  horses  and  their  riders 
contending  in  the  race,  from  an  eminent  silversmith. 


DERB  Y  AXD  0  THER  JOCKE  \  'S.  C 9 

vrho,  although  he  lost  his  money  on  the  race,  sent  it 
as  a  mark  of  his  admiration  of  his  riding.' 

The  economy  of  training  in  Singleton's  period  can 
be  studied  in  Mr.  Orton's  sketch  of  that  jockey  s 
career.  After  stating  that  Lord  Rockingham  had 
engaged  him  in  the  double  capacity  of  irainer  and 
jockey,  and  to  have  charge  of  the  Marquis's  stalls 
at  Mewmarket,  he  says:  'But  during  the  winter 
months  the  young  stock  were  prepared  and  made 
ready  for  going  into  work  at  Swinton,  near  Went- 
worth  House  (the  Marquis's  seat),  Yorkshire,  by 
one  Lund,  and  at  the  conclusion  of  the  Newmarket 
spring  meetings,  when  the  horses'  engagements  were 
run  out  there,  and  they  were  intended  to  run  for  stakes 
at  Doncaster  and  York  (of  both  of  which  meetings  the 
Marquis  was  a  great  supporter),  the  horses  were  sent, 
under  Singleton's  inspection,  to  a  place  called  Thixen- 
dale,  near  Maiton,  where  Singleton  had  purchased  two 
farms,  built  stables  and  other  conveniences  there  for 
training,  which  he  considered  the  best  ground  for  the 
purpose  of  any  in  the  kingdom :  and  from  this  place 
they  not  uofrequently  departed  to  win  many  of  the 
best  stakes,  and  defeat  most  of  the  first-rate  hoi-ses  of 
the  day  in  Yorkshire.'  There  is  every  reason  to 
believe  that  Singleton — for  a  portion  of  his  career,  at 
any  rate — was  looked  upon  as  being  the  best  jockey  of 
his  time.  He  retired  from  a  laborious  hfe  greatly 
respected.  His  motto  throughout  seems  to  have 
been: 

'Act  well  Tour  part,  there  all  the  honour  lies.' 

There  were  other  Singletons  in  the  same  line   of 


70  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

business  :  William,  son  of  John,  who  in  his  youth 
went  to  sea,  but  returned  to  Newmarket  and  became 
a  public  horseman  and  attracted  the  attention  of  his 
Grace  the  Duke  of  Grafton.  Two  of  Singleton's 
nephews  also  became  jockeys,  and  one  of  them,  John 
Singleton,  is  said  to  have  been  the  rider  of  Alabaculia 
when  she  won  the  first  Three-year-old  Stake  at  Don- 
caster,  in  1776,  afterwards  known  as  the  St.  Leger 
This  member  of  the  Singleton  family  had  entrusted 
to  him,  at  one  time,  the  management  of  the  racing 
stud  of  the  Duke  of  Orleans,  father  of  Louis  Philippe. 
A  son  of  this  John  Singleton  also  became  a  jockey, 
and  won  the  St.  Leger  for  Earl  Fitzwilliam.  He  was 
at  first  in  the  stables  of  the  Duke  of  Bedford,  where, 
taught  by  Mr.  Stephenson,  his  Grace's  head-groom,  he 
soon  came  out  as  a  rider  of  great  promise.  He  died, 
however,  in  the  prime  of  his  youth,  at  Newmarket,  in 
December,  1802. 

II 

Among  a  group  of  jockeys  of  the  last  century  there  is 
to  be  found  the  name  of  '  The  Flower  of  the  North' — 
Joseph  Rose- — in  Avhose  career  was  exemplified  the 
kind  of  work  which  fell  to  some  of  those  olden  time 
horsemen.  It  is  recorded,  for  instance,  that  on 
Monday,  September  3rd,  1764,  Rose  rode  Beaufreraont 
against  Mr.  Charteris'  Favourite,  for  the  King's  riate,at 
Lincoln ;  on  Wednesday,  tlie  5th,  he  rode  the  same  horse 
amiinst  Vizier,  for  the  Ladies'  Plate,  also  at  Lincoln  ;  on 
Thursday,  the  6th,  he  rode  Young  Davy  at  Rich- 
mond, Yorkshire ;  and  on  Friday,  the  7th,   he  rode 


DERB  V  A  ND  O  THER  JO  CKE  YS.  7 1 

Bachelor  at  Manchester;  'and  all  this  at  a  period,  be 
it  remembered,  when  railways  and  locomoLives  were 
not  even  dreamed  of;  roads  were  not  macadamized, 
and  coaches  and  public  conve3'ances  moved  at  the 
rate  of,  perhaps,  five  miles  an  hour.  At  that  period  it 
is  very  improbable  that  any  coaches  would  run  on  the 
line  of  his  journeys,  and  doubtless  he  would  be 
reduced  t  o  the  necessity  of  riding  his  hack  both  late 
and  early  to  reach  the  several  places  of  his  destina- 
tion.' 

'i'here  died  at  Richmond,  in  Yorkshire,  on  April 
21st,  1791,  '  the  famous  old  jockey,'  Cliarles  Dawson, 
who,  among  other  feats,  won  the  Richmond  Gold  Cup, 
a  great  prize  in  its  day,  upon  Silvio,  in  1764,  having 
four  times  previously  ran  second  for  the  prize  on  the 
same  horse.  So  celebrated  became  this  jockey  far  his 
efforts  on  Silvio,  that  his  residence  near  Richmond 
was  called  Silvio  Hall.  In  the  matter  of  gold  cups, 
those,,  in  the  olden  time,  were  much  sought  after  by 
owners  of  horses.  Kirton,  a  northern  jockey  of 
renown,  born  in  the  year  1730,  gained  a  celebrit}'^  in 
this  class  of  contests,  and  won  more  gold  cups  than 
an}'  of  his  contemporaries ;  he  also  won  the  St.  Leger 
in  the  year  1784,  on  Omphale,  soon  after  which  event 
he  retired  from  his  profession.  Early  in  the  present 
century  he  won  a  cause  in  the  law  courts,  being 
declared  heir  to  a  relative  who  had  died  intestate.  An 
equine  artist  of  the  name  of  Herring  cannot  be  passed 
over,  as  he  was  killed  in  the  performance  of  his  duty, 
July  27th,  1796.  Much  of  his  celebrity  as  a  jockey 
arose  from  the  fact  of  his  havimj  won  nineteen  races 
in  succession — at  the  time  an  unparalleled  occurrence. 


72  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

George  Herring  was  the  winner  of  the  St.  Leger 
Stakes,  on  Hollandoise,  in  the  year  in  which  the  great 
three-year-old  race  of  Doncaster  was  '  named.' 

Leonard  Jewson,  who  died  in  1817  at  the  age  of 
seventy-seven,  was  esteemed  in  his  day  as  '  one  of"  the 
first  of  jockeys.'  As  rider  and  trainer  he  reahzed  an 
independence,  upon  which  he  retired  some  years 
before  his  death.  William  South,  of  Newmarket,  was 
one  of  the  ablest  horsemen  of  his  da}' ;  he  died  on 
September  13th,  1791.  John  Oakley  was  also,  in 
his  time,  a  horseman  of  great  repute ;  '  he  had  the 
honour  of  riding  i/te  -most  celebratrd  horse  Britain  ever 
produced,'  namely,  Captain  O'Kelly's  famous  Eclipse, 
the  first  time  of  his  starting  at  Epsom,  on  May 
3rd,  1769.  A  jockey  who  gained  a  considerable 
reputation  for  riding  short  races  at  Newmarket  was 
Kichard  Goodison,  well  known  by  his  nickname  of 
'  Hell-Fire  Dick.'  He,  too,  was  a  Yorkshireman  by 
birth,  and  died  in  1817,  'in  good  circumstances,' 'aged, 
sixty-six  years.  Goodison  was  both  jockey  and  trainer, 
and  in  those  capacities  served  the  Duke  of  Queens- 
berry  for  a  long  period,  notwithstanding  that  they  had 
frequent  differences  of  opinion,  which  resulted  in  hot 
quarrels.  The  reputation  of  this  jockey  was  founded 
on  the  alertness  with  which  he  got  away  on  the  fall  of 
thefiag — a  necessary  accomplishment  in  a  rider  of  short 
races.  Goodison  was  a  bold,  fearless  rider,  possessed 
of  great  presence  of  mind  and  quickness.  His  successes 
on  the  Rocket  Gelding  attracted  much  attention,  and 
gained  him  his  nickname  of  '  Hell-Fire  Dick,'  One 
of  Goodison's  sons  obtained  a  reputation  as  a  jockey 
not  inferior  to  that  of  his  lather,  and  was  in  his  day 


DERB  Y  AND  O TNER  JO CKE  YS.  73 

the  rider  of  four  Derby  winners,  viz  ,  Pope,  Smolensko, 
AVhisker,  and  Moses;  he  also  won  the  Oaks  twice,  viz., 
on  Music  and  Minuet,  and  was  likewise  a  winner  of 
the  St.  Leger,  in  which  race  he  steered  Barefoot  to 
victory  in  the  year  1823 — a  gooa  record.  The  rider  of 
that  celebrated  horse  Diamond,  in  the  great  match  of 
1788  with  Hambletonian,  was  Dennis  Fitzpatrick.  As 
the  match  was  one  of  immense  importance,  '  the  result 
being  impatiently  awaited  all  over  the  civilized  world,' 
Fitzpatrick  must  have  been  thought  a  good  horseman 
— as  indeed  he  Avas.  Among  his  achievements  was 
his  winning  the  Derby,  in  1805,  on  Cardinal  Beaufort. 


TIT. 

Passing  over  a  number  of  the  smaller  fry  of  riders,  the 
doings  on  the  turf  of  the  senior  Chifney,  a  '  luminary 
of  the  first  brilliancy,'  must  now  be  alluded  to.  He 
was  not  only  considered,  but  was  in  truth,  the  best 
rider  of  his  day.  He  was  born  in  the  county  of 
Norfolk,  and  at  an  early  period  of  his  life  found 
employment  in  the  Newmarket  racing-stables,  where 
he  soon  became  known  for  his  knowledge  of  the  horse 
and  his  ability  in  the  saddle.  His  first  masters  were 
among  the  best  training  grooms  of  Newmarket :  Fox, 
by  whom  he  was  em[)loyed  in  the  year  1770,  and 
Mr.  Prince,  groom  to  Lord  Fuley,  in  whose  stables  he 
remained  for  some  time. 

Taking  Chilney  at  his  own  estimate  of  his  abilities, 
he  says :  '  In  1773  I  could  ride  horses  in  a  better 
manner,  in  a  race  to  beat  others,  than  any  person  ever 


74  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OE  THE  TURF. 

known  in  my  time;  and  in  177-5  I  could  train  horses 
for  running  better  than  any  person  I  ever  yet  saw. 
Riding  I  learned  myself,  and  training  I  learned  from 
Mr.  Richard  Prince.'  This  estimate  of  his  own 
abilities  was,  it  seems,  not  overdrawn,  but  was  en- 
dorsed by  the  best  judges  of  the  time,  and  Chifney,  in 
consequence,  soon  found  himself  at  the  top  of  the  tree 
as  a  horseman,  being  considered  the  superior  of  all 
his  contemporaries,  among  whom  were  Oakley,  J.  P. 
Hindley,  John  Arnold,  Sam  Arnull,  W.  Clift  and, 
though  last  not  least,  that  excellent  horseman,  F. 
Buckle.  His  employers  numbered  some  of  the  greatest 
patrons  of  the  turf,  including  the  Duke  of  Bedford 
and  Lord  Grosvenor.  But  he  was  best  known  pro- 
fessionally from  his  connection  with  George  IV.,  then 
Prince  of  Wales,  who,  in  consequence  of  his  fame  as  a 
jockey,  had  engaged  him  on  July  14t,h,  1790,  to 
ride  for  him  at  the  then  handsome  salary  of  £200  per 
annum. 

Chifney  senior  is  associated  in  the  annals  of  the 
turf  with  what  was,  at  the  time,  a  cause  cddbre, 
namely,  his  riding  of  the  King's  horse  Escape,  the 
proceedings  in  connection  with  which  event  excited 
an  extraordinary  degree  of  attention.  Simply  stated, 
the  whole  ati'air  was  as  follows :  He  rode  the  horse 
in  question  on  October  20th,  1791,  and  was  de- 
feated in  the  race,  but  on  the  same  horse  he  rode  to 
victory  the  next  day,  and  in  consequence  was  accused 
by  the  Jockey  Club  of  having  rode  the  horse  '  a  cheat,' 
an  accusation  which  he  refuted  with  great  spirit ;  but 
although  his  innocence  of  any  fraud  was  clearly 
established,  the  very  accusation  had  so  militated  for  a 


DERB  Y  A  ND  O  THER  JOCKE  YS.  75 

time  against  his  career  and  prospects,  that  he  ulti- 
mately wrote  a  history  of  the  whole  matter  under  the 
title  of  '  Genius  Genuine.'  His  Royal  Highness  the 
Prince  of  Wales  was  perfectly  convinced  of  the 
integrity  of  his  servant,  but  withdrew  from  New- 
market. He  continued,  however,  to  be  Chifney's 
patron  at  other  meetings  where  he  had  horses  running, 
and  also  settled  a  pension  upon  him,  Avhich  was  to  be 
paid  so  long  as  the  Prince  lived  ;  in  addition  to  which, 
Chifney's  two  sons  were  received  into  the  Prince's 
stables. 

One  of  Chifney's  sons,  having  heard  that  his 
father  had  been  calumniated  by  Colonel  Leigh,  one 
of  His  Royal  Highness's  equerries,  took  the  liberty  of 
asserting  his  father's  innocence  by  thrashing  that 
gentleman,  which  led  to  the  discharge  of  the  lads 
from  the  royal  stables  and  the  withdrawal  of  the 
pension  Avhich  the  Prince  had  bestowed  on  their 
father.  This  was  in  1803,  and  in  1807  the  senior 
Chifney  died  in  his  lodgings  in  Fleet  Street,  London, 
leaving  a  widow  and  six  children  in  rather  reduced 
circumstances.  There  is  no  doubt  whatever  that  the 
elder  Chifney  was  in  every  way  a  remarkable  man, 
and  although  only  about  five  feet  five  inches  in  height, 
a  giant  in  his  profession  of  horse-riding.  He  was 
possessed  of  an  immense  fund  of  knowledge  with 
regard  to  the  training  and  riding  of  horses,  as  also  of 
stable  economy.  Ho  was  the  inventor  of  a  particular 
bit  that  bore  his  name,  and  he  was  the  discoverer  of 
what  he  called  '  slack-rein  riding,'  about  which  there 
was  at  one  time  a  great  deal  of  controversy.  The 
pamphlet  '  Genius  Genuine '  obtained  a  great  sale. 


76  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 


IV. 

It  is  now  the  turn  of  Samuel  Chifne}',  junior,  to  come 
upon  the  scene.  He  and  his  brother  William  were 
taught  the  whole  art  of  jockeyship  by  their  father, 
who  took  infinite  pains  to  instruct  them  in  all  the 
finesse  of  the  business.  He  trained  them  by  constant 
exercise  on  horseback,  making  them  day  after  day 
ride  all  sorts  of  races  in  dead  earnest,  he  riding  in  the 
contests  with  all  his  might,  anxious  that  he  should 
leave  his  fame  to  be  perpetuated  and  added  to  by  his 
sons.  The  father  grounded  his  son  William  as  a 
trainer.  The  '  Druid'  has  some  genial  gossip  in  one  of 
his  books  with  regard  to  the  training  of  the  brothers 
Chifney  by  their  father  whilst  he  resided  at  New- 
market; he  tells  us  that  the  tuition  given  was  severe, 
but  at  the  same  time  affectionate;  and  while  he  carefully 
"■rounded  Will  in  the  rudiments  of  that  training  lore 
of  which  Priam  and  Zinganee  were  destined  to  be 
such  enduring  monuments,  he  gave  Sam  lesson  after 
lesson  in  race-riding,  from  the  moment  he  dared 
trust  him  on  a  pony  alone.  He  used  to  slip  off  with 
him  into  the  stables  when  he  (Sam)  was  barely  three 
stone,  and  after  putting  a  racing- saddle  on  to  Kit  Karr, 
Silver,  Sober  Robin,  or  Magic,  show  him  by  the  hour 
how  to  sit  and  hold  his  reins.  Aided  by  lessons  of 
this  nature,  and  constant  practice  twice  a  day  in  the 
gallops,  Will  had  already  become  a  very  expert 
horseman ;  and  while  he  was  with  the  string  at 
exercise,  his  father  and  Sam,  one  on  his  Heath  hack 
and   the  other  on  a  pony,  would  mark  out  a  three 


DERB  Y  AND  O  THER  JOCKE  YS.  77 

hundred  yards  course,  under  the  cover  of  the  fir  cKimp 
on  the  Warren  Hill,  and  rim  twelve  or  thirteen  races 
during  an  afternoon.  Every  phase  of  finishing  was  com- 
pressed into  the  lesson.  Sam  would  make  the  running, 
and  then  his  father  would  get  to  his  girths,  take  a  pull, 
and  initiate  him  into  the  mysteries  of  a  set  to.  These 
tactics  would  then  be  reversed,  and  Sam  taught  to  get 
up  and  win  by  a  head  in  the  last  stride,  or  to  nurse 
his  pony  and  come  in  with  a  tremendous  rush — '  the 
Chifney  rush  of  after-years.' 

Samuel  Chifney  the  younger  began  the  work  of  his 
life  at  Brampton  Park,  in  Herefordshire,  where  his 
uncle,  Mr.  Smallman,  was  training-groom  to  the  Earl 
of  Oxford.  The  young  jockey — he  was  only  in  his 
thirteenth  year  Avlien  he  began  to  ride  in  the  Earl's 
colours — soon  began  to  put  the  precepts  of  his  father 
into  practice,  and  to  play  in  earnest  upon  the  lessons 
he  received  under  the  fir-clump  on  Warren  Hill.  His 
energy  in  riding  was  great,  and  his  success  was  com- 
mensurate. He  was  able  to  out-jockey  men  who  were 
far  beyond  him  in  years,  and  ought  to  have  been  able 
to  out-jockey  him.  He  played  the  waiting  game  ; 
allowed  those  who  were  more  eager  to  ride  till  tbey 
were  out  of  breath,  and  then,  when  just  at  the  post, 
pounced  upon  them  with  that  fearful  final  'rush'  for 
which  he  soon  became  so  famous.  The  Earl  of  Oxford 
was  a  keen  hand  at  the  game  of  racing,  and  was  fond 
of  training  his  horses  in  harness ;  in  other  words,  he 
was  a  believer  in  the  opinion  of  an  old  Yorkshire 
trainer,  who  used  to  say  that,  '  if  horses  want  to  be 
sweated,  you  may  as  well  sweat  them  for  the  brass,'  or, 
in  plain  language,  run  them  in  all  the  races  they  are 


78  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

entered  in  till  they  win,  or  the  entries  are  exhausted. 
The  success  of  Uncle  Smallman  and  Nephew  Sam  had 
become  so  pronounced  by  the  year  1802  as  to  attract 
the  attention  of  the  Prince  of  Wales,  who  at  once  en- 
erafjed  Mr.  Smallman  as  his  trainer,  and  with  him  to 
Albury  Grange,  near  Windsor,  went  Sam  for  a  month 
or  two,  in  order  to  try  his  hand  in  the  colours  of  the 
Prince,  which  were  '  purple  jacket  with  scarlet  sleeves 
and  gold  braid  buttons,  and  black  cap  with  gold 
tassel.'  His  Hrst  ettbrt  in  His  Royal  Highness's  livery 
on  the  Fidget  colt  was  an  unsuccessful  one ;  but  for 
all  that  Sam  was  delighted  with  his  mount,  and  always 
dated  the  real  beginning  of  his  career  as  a  jockey  from 
that  time.  Chifney  returned  to  Newmarket  to  take  a 
position  in  the  stables  of  Mr.  Perren,  and  his  brother 
Will  succeeded  him  at  Albury  Grange. 

The  senior  Chifney,  as  has  already  been  mentioned, 
was  still  retained  by  the  Prince,  and  had  most  of  his 
riding-  work  entrusted  to  him  ;  but  mounts  were  soon 
found  for  young  Sam  among  some  of  Mr.  Perren's 
patrons,  to  whom  his  riding  gave  great  satisfaction. 
The  Prince  of  Wales,  it  may  be  observed,  had  broken 
up  his  establishment  at  Albury  Grange,  and  sent  on 
his  horses  to  Perren's  stable  at  Newmarket.  For  the 
affair  already  alluded  to,  in  which  Will  Chifney  in- 
tiicted  personal  chastisement  on  one  of  the  Prince's 
gentlemen  -  in  -  w'aiting,  he  was  sentenced  to  six 
months'  imprisonment,  which  was  an  unfortunate  cir- 
cumstance for  the  family,  as  the  royal  patronage  was 
at  length  withdrawn,  and  some  of  the  patricians  of 
the  turf,  headed  by  the  Duke  of  Grafton,  withdrew 
their  patronage  from  Sam,  which  was  rather  hard  on 


DERB  Y  AND  O  THER  JOCKE  YS.  79 

the  poor  jockey,  and  on  his  father  as  well,  who  had 
suffered  a  great  deal  of  contumely  in  connection  with 
the  unfortunate  Escape  business.  But  Sam's  star  was 
only  eclipsed  speedily  to  rise  again ;  his  brilliant  New 
Claret  victory  on  Lord  Darlington's  horse  Pavilion,  at 
the  First  Spring  Meeting  of  1805,  having  attracted 
universal  attention,  he  Avas  honoured  with  the  royal 
colours.  This  was  in  every  sense  a  great  race  for  a  lad 
of  nineteen  to  win  from  such  competitors  in  the  saddle 
as  W.  Arnnll,  Buckle,  and  Clift,  wlio  were  the  jockeys 
of  the  occasion.  The  following  rubric  of  the  race  may 
prove  interesting. 

The  New  Claret  Stakes  of  200  guineas  each,  h.  ft., 
colts  8  St.  7  lb.,  fillies  8  st.  2  lb.,  D.  I.  The  owner 
of  the  second  horse  received  back  his  stake.  Six 
subscribers. 

Lord  Darlington's  b.  c.  Pavilion,  by  Waxy     -  S.  Cliifney  1 

Mr.  Mellish's  b.  c.  Sancho       ....  F.  Buckle  2 

Lord  Egremont's  b.  c.  Hannibal     ...  W,  Ainull  o 

Duke  of  Grafton's  b.  f.  Pelisse       .         -         «  .            Clift  4 

Betting  :  6  to  4  against  Sancho,  8  to  1  against  Hanni- 
bal, 5  to  1  Pelisse,  7  to  1  Pavilion.  The  older  jockeys 
bestowed  a  good  deal  of  their  '  chaff  on  Chifney, 
asking  if  he  had  come  for  a  lesson,  etc. ;  but  Sam  had 
a  great  revenge  :  he  rode  a  patient  race,  and,  biding  his 
time,  came  with  what  has  since  been  described  as  an 
electric  rush,  and  won  the  race  by  two  lengths,  much 
to  the  astonishment  of  his  brother  jockeys,  and  to  the 
unbounded  delight  of  Lord  Darlington  and  his  trainer. 
This  race,  which  was  undoubtedly  won  by  the  fine  and 
patient  riding  of  Chifney,  established  his  fame  as  a 
Newmarket  jockey  of  great    power   and    originality, 


8o  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

thanks  to  the  patient  training  of  his  father.  In  '  tho 
land  of  the  Tykes,'  Sam  pursued  his  victorious  career, 
and  told  his  brother  that  he  could  beat  every  jockey 
in  Yorkshire. 

It  would  serve  no  good  purpose  to  chronicle  all 
Chifney's  victories.  It  may  be  mentioned,  however, 
that  he  won  the  Derby  on  two  occasions,  and  also  rode 
five  of  the  Oaks  winners  to  victory,  beating  the  record 
of  his  father,  who  only  once  rode  a  Derby  winner,  but 
Avho  was  more  fortunate  in  '  the  Garter  of  the  Turf, 
winnirtg,  as  he  did,  the  Oaks  on  four  occasions.  The 
'  rush  '  of  Chifney  was  his  speciality  as  a  jockey  ;  but 
although  this  feature  of  his  riding  was  obvious  enough, 
it  was  not  always  so  obvious  that  previous  to  the 
'rush'  taking  place  he  had  taken  care  to  obtain  a  coign 
of  vantage  from  which  to  effect  it.  Every  jockey  has 
some  speciality  in  his  mode  of  riding.  It  was  com- 
plained of  one  of  the  most  eminent  of  the  brotherhood 
that  he  had  '  a  nasty  way  of  stealing  the  race ;'  but 
that  is  the  essence  of  jockeyship.  The  word  means 
that,  and  perhaps  a  little  more ;  it  signifies  that  the 
race  is  being  stolen,  and  that  you  know  the  fact.  From 
■jockey'  has  arisen  the  phrase  of  being  'jockeyed  out'  of 
anything.  Some  jockeys  draw  their  races  too  tine.  It 
has  been  the  boast  of  more  than  one  of  the  fraternity 
that  he  was  always  annoyed  at  himself  when  he  won 
by  a  greater  distance  than  a  head  from  his  opponent. 
But  that,  in  the  opinion  of  most  owners  who  have  big 
sums  depending  in  bets  on  the  event,  is  much  too  close 
to  be  pleasant ;  to  obtain  such  a  sum  of  money  as  the 
Derby  or  St.  Leger  produces  at  the  risk  of  a  'head'  can- 
not be  pleasant.     It  will  be  a  relief,  at  any  rate,  when 


DERB  V  AND  O TIIF.R  JOCKE  VS.  8l 

the  wiDiiing  number  is  lioistod,  so  as  to  place  the 
matter  beyond  dispute.  Some  jockeys,  however,  will 
persist  in  '  drawing  it  fine,'  They  are  good  artists,  no 
doubt,  but  sometimes  they  are  well  beaten  at  their  own 
game,  getting  '  kidded  '  out  of  the  race  by  a  cunning 
competitor  just  when  they  think  they  have  won  the 
battle.  As  a  trainer  said  on  one  occasion  at  Don- 
caster  :  *  I  like  to  see  my  horses  winning  by  at  least 
two  lengths,  and  what  is  more,  I  like  to  see  them  with 
the  race  in  hand  for  a  hundred  yards  before  they 
reach  the  judge's  chair.' 

Jockeys,  be  it  understood,  are  not  to  ride  a  race 
in  any  way  they  please;  they  'must  ride  to  order'; 
but  circumstances  sometimes  arise  in  the  course  of 
the  race  which  prevent  their  doing  so,  or,  at  all  events, 
which  prevent  a  literal  compliance  with  their  instruc- 
tions. The  best  order  to  give  an  intelligent  jockey — 
one  who  is  able  to  ride  with  his  head  as  well  as  with 
his  hands — is  to  '  win  the  race  all  the  way  if  you  can, 
but  if  you  cannot  do  that,  win  at  the  end  if  possible,' 
which  was  the  invariable  direction  given  by  an  owner 
of  the  old  school  to  whatever  jockey  was  riding  for 
him.  Another  owner  who -was  partial  to  giving  com- 
plicated instructions  to  his  jockeys  was  told  on  one 

occasion  to  ride  his horse  himself,  as  the  rider 

did    not    understand    any  of  his mathematics. 

The  best  instruction,  perhaps,  ever  given  to  a  jockey 
was  to  '  make  every  post  a  winning-post.' 


82  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 


V. 

Among  the  horsemen  of  long  ago  will  be  foimd  the 
name  of  one  who  was  a  credit  to  the  turf,  and  who 
well  deserves  a  few  lines  here  by  way  of  record.  His 
name  was  Francis  Buckle,  who  won  the  race  for  the 
Derby  on  five  occasions,  was  victorious  eight  times  in 
the  Oaks,  three  of  his  wins  being  in  consecutive  years; 
Wiliile  twice  the  St.  Leger  fell  to  his  prowess  in  the 
saddle.  Buckle  was  at  an  early  age  sent  to  the  busi- 
ness of  jockeyship,  passing  through  the  usual  drudgery 
incidental  to  stable-boy  life. 

It  was  discovered  at  an  early  period  of  his  novitiate 
in  the  stable  at  Newmarket  where  he  was  trained  to 
his  duty,  that  the  boy  was  possessed  of  a  head  which, 
on  the  occurrence  of  an  emergency,  led  him  to  do  the 
right  thing  at  the  proper  moment.  Buckle  very  soon 
became  a  good  rider,  and  had  only  been  at  work  for  a 
month  or  two  when  he  was  entrusted  with  the  impor- 
tant bvisiness  of  riding  in  trials,  in  which  he  showed 
such  aptitude  as  to  convince  all  who  saw  his  perform- 
ances that  he  had  the  stuff  in  him  of  which  good 
jockeys  are  made.  After  serving  in  the  stable  for  two 
years,  he  was  sent  to  ride  on  the  race-courses ;  and  in 
the  course  of  a  few  seasons  he  was  acknowledged  to 
have  few  superiors  at  the  business.  Buckle  became 
especially  great  in  match  riding — unequalled,  it  has 
been  said.  A  celebrated  match  in  whicli  he  took  part 
was  that  between  Hambletonian  and  Diamond,  for 
3,000  guineas,  and  which  he  won  cleverly  by  means  of 
his  '  head.'     Buckle  was  fond  of  telling  the  following 


DERB  V  AND  0  THER  JOCKE  \  'S.  83 

story  relating  to  that  historical  contest.  Sir  H.  Vane 
Tempest  had  supported  Hambletonian  to  win  a  very 
large  stake,  and  his  interest  in  the  race  became  at 
length  so  intense  as  rather  to  unnerve  him.  At  the 
last  moment,  just  as  the  two  horses  arrived  at  the 
starting-post,  he  came  to  Buckle  on  pretence  of  giving 
him  his  tinal  instruction,  but  in  reality  to  learn  what 
opinion  his  jockey  had  of  the  result.  Buckle  was  so 
cool  and  collected  that  Sir  H.  V.  Tempest  was  de- 
lighted ;  grasping  the  rider's  hand,  he  said,  '  Buckle, 
I  would  give  half  the  stake  to  be  half  as  cool  as  you 
are.' 

Of  Buckle  it  has  to  be  said  that  he  was,  as  well  as 
being  one  of  the  greatest  horsemen  of  his  day,  an 
eminently  respectable  'man.'  He  married  and  'settled 
down '  at  the  age  of  twenty- four,  being  then  in  receipt 
of  a  good  income ;  but  his  wife  only  lived  for  a  short 
period  after  her  marriage.  In  1807  he  took  to  himself 
a  second  wife,  and  used,  when  not  engaged  in  the 
business  of  riding,  to  '  farm,'  at  Long  Orton,  in  Hunt- 
ingdonshire, devoting  great  attention  to  sheep  and 
oxen,  breeding  some  remarkably  good  animals.  He 
afterwards  occupied  a  fiirm  at  Peterborough;  and  while 
livinsf  there  he  was  in  the  habit  of  startinsr  for  New- 
market  early  in  the  morning  on  his  hack,  riding  a  few 
trials,  and  then  returning  to  tea  at  six  o'clock,  the 
distance  travelled  being  ninety-two  miles.  Buckle 
was  a  most  trustworthy  person  in  all  the  relations  of 
life,  and  was  able  to  make  choice  of  mounts  out  of  the 
circle  of  his  masters,  and  would  never  ride  a  horse  of 
which  he  did  not  like  the  look.  His  chief  masters 
were  Lord  Grosvenor,  Sir  Charles  Bunbury,  and  Colonel 

G— 2 


84  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  TBIE  TURF. 

Mellish.  One  of  the  most  extraordinary  matches  he 
ever  rode  was  that  against  Mrs.  Thornbill,  which  has 
been  often  noticed.  His  name  L''ave  rise  to  a  frood 
deal  of  punning,  says  the  Old  Sporting  Magazine : 

'  A  Buckle  large  was  formerly  the  rage, 
But  now  a  small  one  fills  our  sportive  page.' 

Buckle  died  on  February  7th,  1832,  in  the  sixty- 
fifth  year  of  his  age,  leaving  his  family  with  all  the 
comforts  of  life. 

'  Oh,  where  is  a  match  for  a  treasure  ?o  rare  ? 
Look  round  the  wide  world  and  you'll  ne'er  find  a  pair; 
For  trained  to  the  turf  he  stands  quite  alone. 
And  a,  pair  of  such  Buckles  was  never  yet  known.' 

An  examination  of  the  records  of  the  classic  races 
will  reveal  the  names  of  the  famous  horsemen  of  a 
hundred  years  ago  who  won  the  Derby,  St.  Leger,  or 
Oaks,  but  more  cannot  be  done  here  than  make  simple 
references  to  the  names  of  a  few  of  the  more  prominent. 
Marvellous  tales  have  been  told  of  the  prowess  of  the 
old  masters  of  horsemanship,  who  won  the  Derby  and 
other  races  in  the  earlier  years  of  their  history  ;  but  he 
must  be  a  clever  jockey  who  can  win  on  a  bad  horse; 
and  in  these  latter  days  we  have  probably  seen  as  able 
men,  or  rather  boys,  in  the  saddle  on  Epsoui  Heath  as 
were  Avitnessed  b}^  our  fathers  and  grandfathers. 

The  first  rider  who  won  the  Derby  was  S.  Arnull, 
one  of  a  family  of  horsemen  of  the  period.  The 
Chifneys,  father  and  son,  are  both  on  the  roll  of  suc- 
cessful Derby  horsemen,  the  latter  having  won  the 
race  on  two  occasions ;  so  is  Buckle.  J.  Arnull  won 
several  'Blue  Ribbons' ;  Clift  was  a  quintuple  winner. 
Another    of    the    many    famous    horsemen    of    the 


DERBY  AND  OTHER  JOCKEYS.  8? 

middle  age  of  the  Derby  was  J.  Robinson,  who  won 
the  race  five  times,  and  brought  oil",  for  a  wager,  his 
great  triple  event  of  winning  the  Derby,  the  Oaks,  and 
ffettintj  married,  all  in  the  same  week.  He  was  of 
great  respectability ;  and  there  are  turfmen  living  who 
can  recount  the  dexterity  he  displayed  in  the  saddle 
near  the  end  of  a  race,  when,  with  a  mighty  rush,  he 
came  to  snatch  a  victory  just  at  the  winning-post. 
Other  horsemen  mio'ht  be  mentioned,  men  of  renown 

O 

in  the  saddle,  who  won  the  Derby  :  Chappie,  Flatman, 
and  Marson,  as  well  as  Frank  Butler,  a  fine  horseman, 
an  "excellent  judge  of  pace,  and  a  brilliant  finisher. 
On  Job  Marson,  it  used  to  be  said,  the  mantle  of 
Chifney  had  fallen,  and  he  knew  how  to  'finish' 
as  well  as  how  to  begin  Old  turfites  tell  us  '  there 
were  giants  in  those  days,'  and  so  far  as  the  jockeys  of 
the  Derby  are  concerned,  that  is  to  be  understood. 
Of  the  Derby  horsemen  of  to-day  nothing  need  be 
said ;  the  jockeys  of  the  period  are  more  than  suffi- 
ciently petted  by  the  sporting  press  and  the  sponing 
public. 

In  the  annals  of  the  St.  Leger  there  are  some  other 
names  than  those  mentioned  which  deserve  a  place 
here.  Mangle  was  a  frequent  rider  and  winner  in  the 
ijreat  Doncastrian  event.  The  names  of  Searle,  Peirse, 
and  Jackson  are  also  enrolled  in  St.  Leger  annals. 
Likewise  the  names  of  Shepherd,  Johnson,  and  Clift ; 
nor  must  B.  Smith  be  forgotten,  or  the  Days.  These 
men  have  all  biographies,  but  unfortunately  there  is 
not  space  in  this  volume  to  narrate  their  doings  on 
the  racecourse  and  the  training-grounds.  W.  Scott's 
name  is  placed  against  nine  St.  Leger  victories,  four 


86  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

of  them  being  consecutive  Avins.  The  same  names 
crop  up  in  the  annals  of  the  Oaks,  and  were  the 
chronicles  of  the  various  miscellaneous  races  and 
matches  of  about  a  hundred  years  ago  to  be  carefully 
examined,  it  would  be  found  that  the  riders  just 
enumerated  had  taken  their  share  in  the  daily  work 
of  the  race-course,  which  at  the  period  indicated  was 
far  more  onerous  than  the  jockey  work  of  to-day, 
when  there  is  no  tiresome  travelling  work  to  undergo, 
almost  no  sweating,  and  no  stable  drudgery  for  lads 
who  can  ride  in  a  race.  The  jockey  of  to-day  keeps 
his  valet,  and  rides  to  the  seats  of  racing  in  a  first- 
class  railway  carriage,  with  perhaps  a  Duchess  on  one 
side  of  him  and  a  baronet  on  the  other. 


VI. 

The  nominal  remuneration  of  a  jockey  has  been  fixed 
by  the  Jockey  Club  at  five  guineas  for  a  winning 
mount  and  three  guineas  for  a  losing  one;  but  lead- 
ing horsemen  possess  other  sources  of  income  than 
their  fees.  Such  is  now  the  competition  to  obtain 
the  services  of  a  sober  and  clever  jockey,  that  a  lad 
of  ability,  in  addition  to  his  fees,  will  probably  have  a 
retaining-salary  from  two  or  three  masters,  England's 
chief  horsemen,  it  is  understood,  have  sev.eral  retainers, 
and  from  these  engagements  they  very  likely  derive 
more  than  they  do  in  fees.  In  addition,  however,  to 
this  source  of  income;  several  of  them  pocket  a  pretty 
considerable  sum  every  season  for  riding  trials,  a  great 
number  of  which  are  constantly  taking  place  at  New- 


DERB  Y  AND  O THER  JOCKE  VS.  87 

market.  The  revenue  from  this  source  alone  has  been 
put  down  in  the  case  of  about  half  a  dozen  jockeys  as 
not  being  less  than  from  four  to  six  hundred  per 
annum.  Then  come  the  multitudinous  presents  made 
to  popular  riders,  about  which  the  public  are  every 
now  and  then  being'  told  so  much.  Whenever  a  great 
race  is  decided,  a  paragraph  at  once  goes  the  round  of 
the  press  to  tell  all  the  world  that  '  the  victorious 
jockey  was  presented  by  the  gratified  owner  with  the 
sum  of  one  thousand  pounds.'  Such  sums,  indeed 
much  larger  amounts,  have  more  than  once  been  paid 
to  successful  jockeys,  and  lesser  sums  of  a  '  pony '  or  a 
'  century '  are  frequently  given  to  clever  horsemen  for 
their  services.  Suppose  that  a  chief  jockey  is  free  to 
take  a  mount  in  a  handicap  of  importance — in  other 
words,  that  none  of  his  masters  have  a  horse  com- 
peting, and  that  his  services  are  being  asked  for  by 
joerhaps  three  persons  each  having  a  horse  in  the 
race ;  the  result  most  likely  will  be  that  one  of  them 
will  ask  him  to  name  his  own  terms,  the  authorized 
fee  in  such  cases  counting  for  nothings  and  so  it  may 
come  that  the  jockey  will  get  tv/o  hundred  guineas 
w'in  or  lose,  and  be  '  put  on '  five  hundred  or  even  a 
thousand  to  nothing  on  his  mount.  Archer,  for  in- 
stance, Avlien  he  rode  Rusebery  in  the  Cesarewitch, 
received  a  sum  of  one  thousand  pounds  from  the 
gentleman  who  '  engineered '  that  memorable  victory. 
For  winning  the  sensational  Derby  of  1880,  when 
Bend  Or  only  boat  Robert  the  Devil  by,  as  the  saying 
goes,  '  the  skin  of  his  teeth,'  the  Duke  of  Westminster 
presented  the  rider  with  a  checpie  for  £500.  These 
sums  will  doubtless  be  looked  upon  by  the  outside 


88  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

world  as  being  very  large  amounts  to  pay  i'or  what 
appears  a  momentary  service.  But  a  cliiet'  jockey 
may  say,  as  Sir  Gilbert  Scott,  the  eminent  architect, 
once  said  to  a  high  dignitary  of  the  Church  who  had 
employed  him  to  renovate  a  cathedral,  and  then 
grumbled  at  the  amount  of  his  account,  '  My  lord,  I 
am  a  Bishop  in  my  profession.'  When  a  horse  named 
Petrarch,  quite  contrary  to  general  expectation,  which 
was  all  the  other  way,  won  the  Two  Thousand  Guineas 
Stakes,  the  jockey,  a  stable-lad  at  the  time,  who  rode 
that  horse,  received  from  an  anonymous  donor  a  sum 
of  £500  ;  it  was  from  a  person,  very  likely,  who  had  at 
an  early  period  backed  the  horse  to  win  a  big  stake, 
and  in  the  circumstances  was  so  thankful  to  win  his 
money  that  he  evinced  his  gratitude  in  the  way 
mentioned. 

It  should  be  explained  that  the  sums  which  jockeys 
are  often  said  to  be  presented  with  on  occasions  of 
winning  a  big  race  are  easily  enough  j)rovided  by  the 
owner  of  the  horse  backing  it  with  a  bookmaker  for 
the  amount  to  be  given  to  the  rider.  In  cases  where 
the  owner  is  not  a  betting  man,  then  he  pays  the  money 
out  of  the  stakes  which  are  won.  Wells,  the  jockey 
who  rode  Blue  Gown  to  victory  in  the  Derby,  was 
presented  by  his  master  with  the  stakes  won  on  the 
occasion,  amountinfj  to  a  sum  of  over  £6,000.  When 
Teddington  won,  the  same  gentleman,  it  is  said,  gave 
the  rider  a  cheque  for  £1,000. 

The  official  charge  for  fees  being  known,  it  is  open 
to  any  public  writer  to  calculate  the  sum  represented 
by  the  number  of  a  jockey's  mounts,  and  to  give  his 
readers  the  benefit  of  the  figures.     As  regards  presents 


DERB  Y  AND  O THER  JOCKE  YS.  fg 

made  to  successful  riders,  few  of  those  who  are  un- 
acquainted with  the  routine  of  turf  hfe  have  the  least 
idea  of  their  number  and  value.  It  becomes  a  sort  of 
instinct  with  many  who  unexpectedly  obtain  a  big 
sum  of  money  to  give  a  portion  of  it  away.  Numerous 
instances  could  easily  be  cited  in  proof  of  the  fact. 
Whtni  a  man  by  risking  a  ten-pound  note  finds  him- 
self in  possession  of  three  or  four  hundred  pounds, 
lus  sense  of  gratitude  becomes  excited,  and  he  at  once 
hands  to  the  jockey  who  has  been  in  the  greatest 
degree  the  instrument  of  his  good  fortune  a  five,  ten, 
or  twenty  pound  note,  according  to  the  depth  of  his 
feeling  on  the  occasion. 

There  are,  of  course,  hundreds  of  hardened  tiu'f 
men  who  never  bestow  one  thought  either  on  the 
horse  or  its  rider ;  they  bag  their  winnings  or  pay 
their  losings,  and  say  nothiug  to  anyone  about  them. 
The  presents  in  hard  cash,  and  in  jewels  and  other 
valuables,  which  are  made  to  jockeys  by  persons  who, 
through  their  exertions,  have  won  considerable  sums 
of  money,  are  really  remarkable  both  for  their  number 
and  value.  Only  the  other  day,  so  to  speak,  a  jockey, 
who  was  unfortunately  killed  at  Liverpool,  received 
over  £3,000  from  only  two  persons  as  a  recognition  of 
his  success  in  winning  a  certain  great  handicap.  A 
lad  who  a  few  years  ago  unexpectedly  won  an  im- 
portant race  found  himself  all  at  once  a  favoured 
child  of  fortune.  The  horse  he  rode,  although  at  one 
time  a  favourite,  had  been  driven  back  in  the  betting 
to  a  very  long  price,  so  much  so  that  all  who  had 
backed  it  looked  upon  their  money  as  having  bei^n 
thrown  away.     Their  delight  at  the  ultimate  success 


90  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

of  tlie  horse  was  evinced  in  the  shower  of  presents 
which  fell  on  the  household  of  the  fortunate  rider, 
who  up  to  that  period  had  been  a  person  of  very  little 
repute  in  the  stables.  Presents  in  money  to  the  ex- 
tent of  over  £400  were  made  to  him  ;  he  was  handed 
a  jewelled  ring  for  the  finger  of  his  wife  Avhich  a 
Duchess  might  be  proud  to  wear;  a  set  of  diamond 
studs  was  bestowed  upon  him ;  he  became  the  re- 
cipient of  thirty-two  boxes  of  cigars,  and  of  nine  suits 
of  clothes  and  nineteen  new  hats.  The  minor  presents 
of  pipes,  tobacco,  liquors,  etc.,  need  not  be  enumerated 
— they  were  far  too  numerous  to  be  chronicled  in 
tbose  pages,  and  the  variety  of  them  was  most  laugh- 
able. 


VII. 

'Why,'  it  has  been  asked,  'should  the  chief  jockey 
have  an  income  equal  to  that  of  an  Archbishop,  and 
far  more  than  is  received  by  a. Prime  Minister  or  a 
General  of  the  army  ?'  To  answer  that  question  is  not 
so  easy  as  may  be  imagined.  It  may  be  said,  first  of 
all,  as  regards  his  fees,  that  as  he  rides  so  many  horses 
so  his  total  accumulates,  and  if  masters  who  keep  race- 
hor.-5es  compete  for  his  services,  who  can  prevent 
them  ?  and  who  is  to  stay  the  hands  which  offer  him 
presents  in  gratitude  for  money  won  ?  '  Yes,'  it  is 
answered  ;  '  but  there  is  no  money  thrown  away  on  a 
jockey,  no  capital  expended  on  his  education  ;  he  is 
not  sent  to  Eton  or  Harrow,  or  kept  at  Oxford  or 
Ctimbridge  till  he  is  twenty-four  years  of  age,  at  a  cost 
of  thousands  to  his  parents.'     A  stable  lad,  it  has  been 


DERB  Y  AND  O TIIER  JOCKE  YS.  91 

argued,  goes  to  business  at  the  age  of  ten  or  eleven, 
and  obtains  his  food  and  as  much  money  as  will  keep 
him  in  clothes  as  long  as  he  is  an  apprentice,  at  the 
end  of  which  period,  if  not  before,  he  may  obtain  his 
£500  or  £5,000  a  year  as  a  rider  in  horse-raceS  !  That 
may  be  so,  but  the  great  prizes  in  jockeyland,  it 
must  be  kept  in  view,  are  just  about  the  proportion 
of  Bishops  to  common  clergy.  Seventy-six  jockeys 
can  be  singled  out  as  having  competed  one  year,  one  of 
the  number  only  riding  nine  times.  Supposing  that 
only  2,000  boys  are  engaged  in  the  English  racing- 
stables,  there  are  only  a  very  few  of  them  who  can 
have  the  chance  of  becoming  a  Loates  or  Barrett,  and 
earning  the  income  of  a  Prime  Minister.  Some  jockeys 
who  display  ability,  and  obtain  the  chance  of  distin- 
guishing themselves,  unfortunately  go  rapidly  to  '  the 
bad,'  and  become  waifs  of  the  turf;  they  get  spoiled 
by  early  successes,  •  flee  to  drink,'  and  in  a  very  short 
time  are  incapacitated  for  their  'vvork. 

Jockeys  who  desire  to  succeed  in  their  business 
must  be  of  temperate  habits,  and  comport  themselves 
as  if  they  had  old  heads  on  their  young  shoulders. 
Clever  men  as  equestrians  can  at  present  be  pointed 
out  who  have  to  stand  down  because  of  their  bad 
conduct,  and  see  riders,  with,  it  may  be,  not  a  tithe  of 
their  abihty,  making  their  fortunes.  There  is  no 
calling  of  which  its  professors  are  exposed  at  so 
early  an  age  to  such  terrible  temptations  as  that  of 
the  jockey.  It  has  been  suggested,  indeed,  by  a 
public  writer  that  the  leading  jockeys  are  not  paid  so 
much  for  their  skill  as  their  honesty.  It  is  not  the 
iirst  time  that  a  turf  rider  has  been  bribed.     '  I  am 


93  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

backing  this  horse  for  the  owner,'  said  a  betting  man 
to  a  bookmaker.  *  And  I  am  laying  it  for  the  jockey,' 
was  the  reply;  'he  says  it  has  no  chance  to  win,  and 
when  he  says  that  I  know  what  I  am  doing.'  After 
all,  what  matters,  the  paying  of  £1,000  to  a  jockey  by 
the  owner  of  a  horse  who  in  the  event  of  its  winning 
the  race  will  pocket  fifty  times  the  amount  ?  If  a 
bookmaker  has  laid  against  a  horse  to  lose  £12,000 
or  £15,000,  it  would  be  a  grand  bargain  if  he  could,  to 
a  dead  certainty,  prevent  it  from  winning  by  paying  a 
large  sum  to  its  trainer  or  jockey  to  disable  it.  Such 
'  arrangements '  have  been  made  more  than  once,  and 
in  these  and  similar  considerations,  which  will  easily 
suggest  themselves  to  the  intelligent  reader,  must  be 
sought  an  answer  to  the  question,  why  a  jockey  should 
be  well  paid. 

The  economy  of  the  turf  and  the  discipline  of  the 
racing-stable  is  nowadays  greatly  different  from  what 
it  was  in  the  time  of  Holman,  who  described  his  ex- 
periences of  Newmarket.  There  are  probably  ten 
times  the  number  of  boys  in  the  racing-stables  that 
there  was  in  his  day.  There  are,  certainly,  it  may  be 
assumed,  ten  times  the  number  of  running  horses,  and 
it  may  be  taken  for  granted  that  there  will  be,  as  a 
rule,  a  boy  for  each  horse,  to  attend  it  in  the  stable 
and  ride  it  at  exercise.  It  is  from  these  boys  that  the 
f.iture  jockeys  spring.  They  are  watched  by  their 
m  isters,  and  good  riders  among  them  are  noted, 
a:id  gradually  entrusted  with  work  ;  taught  to  ride 
in  trials,  and  by-and-by  entrusted  with  a  'mount' 
in  public,  when  thought  fit  for  such  a  position  of 
trust.     Boys,  of  course,  will  be  boys,  and  sad  pranks 


DERB  V  AND  O  THER  JOCKE  1  '5.  93 

are  sometimes  pla3'ed  in  the  training-stables ;  but  dis- 
cipline, as  a  rule,  is  well  kept  up,  and  the  lads  are 
sharply  looked  after,  which  is  necessary,  as  they  are 
exposed  to  great  temptations,  which  some  of  them, 
unfortunately  for  themselves  and  their  masters,  are 
unable  to  withstand.  ^lany  a  fierce  attack  made  on  a 
horse  in  the  money  market  has  been  traced  to  a 
breach  of  trust  committed  by  boys  in  a  training- 
stable.  It  w^juld  be  passing  strange  if  among  a  body 
of  10,000  there  were  not  a  few  black  sheep. 

The  social  position  of  the  jockey  has  greatly 
changed  since  the  da^-s  of  Singleton  and  Buckle  :  he 
is  now  a  gentleman,  comparatively  speaking,  and  ob- 
tains recognition  from  persons  much  above  him  in 
social  station.  When,  during  his  holidays,  the  chief 
jockey  takes  a  look  round  in  foreign  lands,  he  has 
noble  captains  for  his  companions.  The  jockey  of  the 
period  does  not  nowadays  require  to  walk,  leading  his 
horse  from  meeting  to  meeting,  and  there  are  riders 
now  at  a  greater  variety  of  weights  than  there  were 
eighty  or  a  hundred  years  ago.  There  are  over  two 
hundred  licensed  jockeys  at  the  command  of  the 
OAvners  of  horses,  and  the  Jockey  Club  never  passed 
a  more  sensible  law  than  that  Avhich  compels  each 
jockey  to  take  out  a  license  :  it  is  in  the  nature  of 
a  bond  for  their  good  behaviour,  and  has  already 
proved  beneficial. 


JOCKEYS     WHO    HAVE    WON    THE    DERBY, 
WITH    THE     NAMES    OF    THE    WINDING 

HORSES. 

Aldcroft,  Ellington,  1856. 

Archer,   F.,  Silvio,   1877;  Bend  Or,  1880;    Iroquois, 

1881  ;  Melton,  1885;  Ormonde,  1886. 
Arnull,    J.,    Serjeant,    1784 ;    Rhadamantlius,  1790 ; 

Didelot,  1796;  Archdnke,  1799;  Election,  1807. 
Arnull,  S.,  Diomed,  1780 ;  Assassin,  1782  ;  Sir  Peter 

Teazle,  1787  ;  Sir  Harry,  1798. 
Arnull,  W.,  Hannibal,  1804;  Octavius,  1812;  Blucher, 

1814. 
Barrett,  F.,  Ayrshire,  1888  ;    Sainfoin,  1890. 
Bell,  F.,  Merry  Monarch,  1845. 
Buckle,   John   Bull,   1792;   Daedalus,   1794;   Tyrant, 

1802;  Phantom,  1811  ;  Emilius,  1823. 
Bullock,  Kettledrum,  1861. 
Butler,  F.,  Daniel  O'Rourke,  1852 ;  West  Australian, 

1853. 
Cannon,  T.,  Shotover,  1882. 
Chaloner,  T.,  Macaroni,  1863. 
Chappie,  Dangerous,  1833  ;  Amato,  1838. 
Charlton,  Blink  Bonny,  1857. 
Chifney,  sen..  Skyscraper,  1789. 


VERB  V  JO  CKE  VS.  95 

Chifnej,  S.,  Sam,  1818 ;  Sailor,  1820. 

Clift,  Waxy,    1793;    Champion,    1800;   Ditto,   1803; 

Whalebone,  1810  ;  Tiresias,  1819. 
Collinson,  Pan,  1808. 

ConoUy,  Plenipotentiary,  1834;  Coronation,  1841. 
Constable,  Sefton,  1878. 
Ciistance,    Thormanby,    1860;    Lord    Lyon,    1SG6  ; 

George  Frederick,  1874. 
Daley,  J.,  Hermit,  18C7. 
Day,  A.,  Andover,  1854. 
Day,  S.,  Gustavus,  1821 ;  Priam,  1830 ;  Pyrrluis  the 

First,  1846. 
Dockeray,  Lapdog,  1826. 
Edwards,  G.,  Phosphorus,  1837. 
Fitzpatrick,  Cardinal  Beaufort,  1805, 
Flatman,  Orlando,  1844. 
Fordham,  Sir  Bevys,  1879. 
Forth,  Frederick,  1829. 

French,  T.,  Kingcraft,  1870;  Favonius,  1871. 
Goodisori,   Pope,   1809;    Smoiensko,   1813;  Whisker, 

1815  ;  Moses,  1822. 
Grimshaw,  H.,  Gladiateur,  1805. 
Hindley,     Young     Eclipse,     1781 ;     Saltram,     1783 ; 

Aimwell,  17^5. 
Loates,  S.,  Harvester,  1884  (d.h.). 
Loates,  T.,  Donovan,  1889. 
]\Lacdonald,  Little  Wonder,  1840. 
Maidment,  Cremorne,  1872  ;  Kisber,  1876. 
Marlow,  The  Flying  Dutchman,  184  J. 
Marson,  J.,  Voltigeur,  1850  ;  Teddington,  1851. 
Morris,  Galopin,  1875. 
Osborne,  J.,  Pretender,  1869. 


96  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

Parsons,  Caractacus,  1862. 

Robinson,  Azor,  1817  ;  Codric,  1824;  Middleton, 
1825  ;  Mameluke,  1827  ;  Cadland,  1828  ;  Bay 
Middleton,  1836. 

Saunders,  Eleanor,  1801. 

Scott,  St.  Giles,  1832;  Mundig,  1835;  Attila,  1842* 
Cotlierstone,  1843. 

Shepherd,  Paris,  1806. 

Sherwood,  R,  Wild  Dayroll,  1855. 

Singleton,  J.,  c.  by  Fidget,  1797. 

Snovvden,  J.,  Blair  Athol,  1864. 

South,  W,  Sir  Thomas,  1788. 

Stephenson,  Eager,  1791. 

Templeman,  Blo(jmsbur3^  1839  ;  Cossack,  1847  ;  Sur- 
plice, 184S. 

Watts  J.,  Merry  Hampton,  1887. 

Webb,  F.,  Doncaster,  1873. 

Wells,  Beadsman,  1858;  Musjid,  1859;  Blue  Gown, 
1S68. 

Wheatly,  A.,  Spread  Eagle,  1795 ;  Prince  Leopold, 
1816  ;  Spaniel,  1831. 

White,  J.,  Noble,  1786. 

Wood,  C,  St.  Blaise,  1883  ;  St.  Gatien.  1884  (d.h.). 


TRAINERS  OF  DERBY  AND  OTHER  HORSES. 

'  It  strikes  me  very  forcibly,  sir,  that  nearly  all 
our  horses  are  over- trained — in  fact,  galloped  to 
death ;  and  as  nearly  all  trainers  pursue  the  same 
system  of  training,  no  discovery  of  that  great  fact  has 
yet  been  made.  But  some  day,  when  an  owner  or 
trainer,  of  an  original  way  of  thinking,  has  the  courage 
to  take  Nature  for  his  guide,  and  not  work  a  horse  off 
its  feet  before  the  time  fixed  for  it  to  run,  then  the 
great  discovery  will  be  made,  and  some  important  race 
be  won  with  greater  ease  than  any  race  was  ever  won 
before.' 

These  words  were  spoken  at  Epsom  more  than  twenty 
years  ago  by  a  gentleman  who  possessed  many  claims 
to  speak  on  the  subject  of  race-horse  training.  He 
founded  his  observations  by  saying  that  training  had 
become  too  much  a  matter  of  '  use  and  wont,'  and  that 
'head  lads,' and  jockeys  who  began  business  on  their  own 
account,  simply  followed  the  modes  of  work  to  which 
they  had  been  accustomed  in  the  stables  in  which  they 
had  been  bred.  Happily,  of  late  years  trainers  have 
come  upon  the  scene  who  have  in  many  respects  been 
better  entered  to  their  business  than  most  of  their 
predecessors — men  who  do  not  take  every  horse  to  be 

7 


98  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

one  and  the  same  animal,  and  then  proceed  to  gallop 
their  charges  as  so  many  machines.  Older  practi- 
tioners in  the  art  have  also  learned  that  ditferent 
horses  have  different  constitutions,  and  require  care  in 
feeding  and  discrimination  in  the  amount  of  exercise 
which  is  necessary ;  and  as  a  great  deal  of  training — 
since  railways  opened  up  the  scene  of  operations — is 
done  in  public,  criticism  is  not  wanting  to  temper  erro- 
neous methods. 

It  is  somewhat  difficult  to  obtain  any  very  reliable 
information  of  the  modes  of  training  at  Newmarket  a 
hundred  and  twenty  years  ago — that  is  to  say,  about 
the  time  the  Derby  and  Oaks  were  instituted — or 
resfardinsf  the  trainers  and  the  social  life  of  the  stables. 
At  the  period  indicated  there  were  presumably  no 
public  trainers  of  horses  in  the  sense  that  there  are 
public  trainers  to-day  ;  at  lenst,  if  there  were  anj^ 
they  must  have  been  few  and  far  between.  Doubtless, 
one  '  training  groom '  might  have  more  than  one  man  s 
horses  in  his  charge,  but  his  masters  in  that  case 
would  be  friends  or  colleao^ues  in  racing.  In  the  auto- 
biography  of  Holcroft,  the  comedian  and  dramatist, 
there  is  given  a  vivid  sketch  of  the  training  and  stable 
discipline  of  his  day,  written  from  personal  experience, 
the  author  of  '  The  Road  to  Iluin '  having  been  a  stable- 
boy  at  Newmarket. 

Holcroft  travelled  from  Nottingham  on  the  back  of 
a  race-horse,  under  the  guidance  of  one  Jack  Clarke, 
who  lived  with  Captain  Vernon  ;  but  his  master  was  to 
be  a  Mr.  Woodcock,  who  trained  four  or  five  miles 
from  Newmarket.  Poor  Holcroft,  on  the  way  to  his 
new  home,  was  delighted;  the  plenty  of  excellent  cold 


TRALYERS  OF  DERBY  AND  OTHER  HORSES.   99 

beef,  bread  and  cheese,  with  the  best  table  beer,  and 
as  mucli  as  he  liked  to  eat  when  he  stoj^ped  to  break- 
fast, were  an  indication  of  the  happy  change  he  had 
made  from  his  previous  state  of  poverty.  Jack  Clarke 
was  so  kind  as  to  put  the  boy  on  his  guard  against  the 
tricks  Avhicli  were  always  played  upon  novices  in  the 
racing-stables.  One  of  the  practical  jokes  of  that 
period — about  the  year  1757 — was  for  the  boys  to  per- 
suade their  victim  that  the  first  thing  necessary  for  a 
w^ell-trained  stable-boy  to  do  is  to  borrow  as  many 
waistcoats  as  he  can,  and  in  the  morning,  after  he  has 
fed  and  dressed  his  horse,  put  them  all  on,  take  a  race 
of  perhaps  two  or  three  miles,  return  home,  strip  him- 
self stark  naked,  and  immediately  be  covered  up  in 
the  hot  dunghill — which  they  assure  him  is  the 
method  the  grooms  take  when  they  sweat  themselves 
down  to  ride  a  race.  Should  the  poor  fellow  follow 
their  directions,  they  conclude  the  joke  with  pailfuls 
of  cold  water  Avhich  stand  ready  to  throw  over  him. 
Other  practical  jokes  follow,  some  of  them  not  quite 
so  clean  in  detail  as  that  just  mentioned.  Holcroft 
tells  us,  in  his  autobiography,  that  he  rode  at  exercise 
in  the  procession  of  the  stable  horses,  just  as  is  done 
to-day  both  at  Newmarket  and  elsewhere,  and  many 
of  tlie  disagreeable  things  wdiich  occurred  were  over- 
looked by  the  futuie  dramatist  in  consideration  of  the 
plentiful  supply  of  excellent  food  which  fell  to  the  lot 
of  the  stable-boys. 

Various  records  of  the  old  modes  of  training  by  rule 
of  thumb  are  extant,  and  anecdotes  and  reminiscences 
of  the  old-time  trainers  are  occasionally  to  be  met 
with  ;  wbile  the  systems  of  the  period,  so  far  as  they  are 

7—2 


loo  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

a,  modification  of  the  old  praciices,  can  be  seen  by  any- 
one who  takes  the  trouble  to  visit  a  training-ground. 

The  writer  of  this  volume  makes  no  pretence  of  his 
ability  to  teach  his  grandmother  to  suck  eggs,  but  he 
has  no  hesitation  in  saying,  what  indeed  is  an  obvious 
truth,  that  '  there  are  trainers  and  trainers.'  This 
truism  was,  on  a  late  occasion,  well  exemplified  in  one 
of  the  Newmarket  hotels,  Avhere  a  few  trainers  and 
other  racing  men  were  congregated.  One  of  the  old 
school  was  chaffing  one  of  the  new  school,  who  is  some- 
what of  a  dandy,  about  his  kid  gloves  and  his  fine 
linen.  'I  am  just  as  able  to  train  a  race-horse  in  a 
clean  shirt  as  in  a  dirty  one,'  was  the  rather  smart 
retort  of  the  dandy. 

Nowadays  trainers  figure  in  the  society  papers 
among  '  celebrities  at  home,'  and  why  not  ?  They  are 
■ — some  of  them — great  in  their  vocation,  and  entrusted 
with  most  important  interests.  There  are  trainers 
of  to-day  who  have  charge  of  racing  stock  amount- 
ing in  value  »to  probably  more  than  a  hundred  thou- 
sand pounds ;  not  a  few  of  the  modern  trainers  have 
each  from  two  to  twelve  horses  in  their  chars^e,  each  of 
the  value  of  from  two  to  four  thousand  pounds.  The 
Falmouth  sale,  a  year  or  two  since,  would  no  doubt 
o])en  the  eyes  of  the  non-racing  public  to  the  responsi- 
bilities of  trainers,  and  the  onerous  duties  which 
devolve  upon  them.  One  of  these  gentlemen,  who  had 
a  horse  in  his  keeping  which  was  first  favourite  for  the 
Derby  a  few  years  ago,  told  the  writer  that  he  was 
nearly  done  to  death  during  the  twenty  days  which 
preceded  the  race.  Every  day  there  came  half  a  dozen 
anonymous  letters,  some    containing  threats,   others 


TRAINERS  OF  DERBY  AND  OTHER  HORSES.   loi 

warnings,  others  advice.  Appetite  fell  off,  sleep  was 
banished  from  that  trainer's  pillow,  and  a  chronic 
state  of  bad  health  seemed  likely  to  result;  but  time 
and  the  hour  Avore  on,  and  the  race  well  ovtr — and, 
what  is  better,  won — the  appetite  returned,  the  faculty 
of  sleeping  came  back,  and  health  and  serenity  were 
restored. 

The  master  of  an  important  training-stable,  having 
as  customers  five  or  six  gentlemen,  each  being  owner 
of  half  a  dozen  horses,  and  each  more  ambitious  than 
the  other  of  winning  everything  for  Avhich  he  enters 
them,  has  not  his  sorrows  to  seek.  The  only  way  by 
which  jealousies  can  be  kept  down,  and  discipline 
maintained,  is  to  allow  one  or  other  of  the  patrons  of 
the  stable  to  direct  affairs — the  others  playing  second 
fiddle.  But  such  arrangements  are  not  easy  to  carry 
out — each  peison  being  suspicious  of  his  neighbour. 
Sir  John  Randolph  is  always  thinking  that  Sir 
Randolph  Jones  is  being  favoured  in  some  way,  and 
'  rows  '  nut  infrequently  take  place  in  consequence.  The 
trainer  may  be  as  honest  and  upright  as  man  can  be, 
doing  his  duty  by  all  the  horses  in  his  stable,  but  the 
fact  will  be  doubted  by  some  one  or  other  of  his  em- 
ployers, so  that  there  come  quarrels,  secessions,  and 
changes.  In  several  stables  every  owner  fights  for  his 
own  hand,  so  that  the  trainer  has  much  suffering  to 
endure  when  one  of  his  patrons  wins  a  race  in  wdiich 
the  other  owners  have  also  something-  runniu"'.  It  is  all 

O  O 

in  vain  they  are  told  the  best  horse  has  won  ;  they  will 
not  believe  that,  and  think  themselves  ill-used.  ^Vhcn 
a  trainer  trains  for  several  patrons,  all  of  them  inde- 
pendent of  each  other,  he  has  a  delicate  part  to  play, 


102  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

and  it  is,  under  such  circumstances,  really  wonderful 
that  so  few  quarrels  take  place. 

In  an  important  training-establishment  a  large 
number  of  persons  have  to  be  employed — mostly 
boys.  These  persons  are  always  a  source  of  anxiety 
to  the  head  of  the  establishment.  They  are  anxiously 
waited  for  by  the  scamps  who  hang  around  such  places, 
who  tempt  them  to  betray  their  trust.  Where  the 
boys  are  so  weak  as  to  submit  to  such  treatment,  they 
are  eagerly  questioned  and  cross-questioned  about  all 
that  takes  place  in  the  stables.  They  are  treated  to 
games  of  billiards,  plied  with  liquor,  and  have  presents 
made  to  them  of  occasional  sovereigns  and  suits  of 
clothes,  all,  of  course,  on  condition  of  betraying  their 
master's  trust  in  them.  Only  a  few  months  ago  a 
Newmarket  lad  was  kicked  out  of  the  stables  for 
doing  'something'  to  one  of  his  master's  horses 
which  had  become  a  good  favourite  for  an  important 
handicap.  It  is  impossible  even  for  the  most  vigilant 
trainer  to  escape  an  occasional  occurrence  of  the  kind 
indicated.  ]\Iany  instances  might  be  related  of  trainers 
being  baffled  by  stable  lads,  and  in  consequence  im- 
portant information  becoming  public,  detrimental  to 
the  interests  of  the  establishments.  The  domestic 
economy  of  such  institutions  requires  a  good  deal  of 
study — the  provender  for  the  animals  nowada^^s  has 
become  costly,  and  when  thirty  or  forty  boys  and 
other  servants  have  to  be  fed  four  times  daily,  the 
bakers'  and  the  butchers'  bills  require  a  good  deal  of 
consideration. 

Previous  to  the  days  of  Mr.  Thomas  Dawson,  of 
Middleham,  training  was  done  in  the  most  haphazard 


TRAINERS  OF  DERBY  AND  OTHER  HORSES.  103 

i'asliion,  and,  as  has  been  hinted,  every  horse  was 
treated  much  after  the  same  fashion.  That  gentleman 
thought  out  new  modes  for  himself,  and  taught  his 
brothers  to  know  that  individual  horses  diftered  as 
much  as  do  individual  men  and  women,  some  having 
inordinate  appetites,  and  some  being  poor  feeders ; 
some  horses  requiring  much  more  work  in  training 
than  others  need.  Mr.  Dawson's  teachimys  have  borne 
good  fruit :  one  of  his  brothers  being  lately  at  the  head 
of  his  business,  having  a  cjreat  establishment  and  a 
big  string  of  horses,  with  undoubtedly  a .  capable 
knowledge  of  his  art,  never  perhaps  evinced  to 
greater  advantage  than  in  bringing  Melton  to  the 
post  (1885)  in  a  condition  to  win  the  '  Blue  Eibbon  of 
the  Turf.'  The  system  of  training  now  adopted  by 
intelligent  trainers  is  no  doubt  founded  on  experience, 
and  is  being  gradually  improved  upon.  When  a  horse 
is  being  prepared  for  a  particular  race,  he  is  allowed 
plenty  of  excellent  food,  and  is  'galloped'  a  mile  or  a 
mile  and  a  half,  as  the  case  may  be,  once  a  day,  at  a 
daily  increasing  rate  of  speed,  or  it  may  happen  that 
he  is  sent  loncjer  distances,  according  to  the  state  of 
the  particular  training-ground  on  which  he  is  pre- 
pared. The  trainer  of  the  hoise  is  of  course  present 
to  see  him  do  his  work,  scanning  keenly  the  animal's 
every  movement,  and  if  the  horse's  legs  be  under 
suspicion  he  will  feel  extreme  anxiety  till  the  animal 
is  again  all  right  in  his  box.  Another  morning  of 
anxiety  comes  to  the  trainer  when  the  horse  has  to 
be  formally  tried  with  '  something  good '  for  the  race 
for  which  he  is  being  prepared.  That  well  over,  '  the 
stable '  will  begin  to  think  victory  within  its  reach , 


I04  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

but  some  days  have  still  to  elapse  before  the  day  arrives, 
and  probably  a  long  journey  by  railway  will  require  to 
be  undertaken,  all  of  which  bring  more  and  more 
anxiety  to  the  trainer — an  accident  may  occur,  or  the 
journey  may  upset  the  horse,  or  he  may  be  'got  at;' 
in  short,  '  uneasy  lies  the  head  that  wears  a  trainer's 
crown.' 

'Brains'  are  quite  as  much  required  in  training  as 
in  other  professions,  and,  as  has  been  indicated,  the 
trainer  of  to-day  is  more  alert  to  what  is  required  of 
him  than  were  his  predecessors  of  sixty  years  since. 
A  yearling  or  two  which  have  each  cost  £1,500  or 
£1,600  must  not  be  entrusted  to  persons  who  are 
ignorant  of  their  business,  or  they  may  never  train 
into  horses  suitable  lor  the  business  of  the  turf; 
nor  is  it  every  man  who  is  fit  to  take  charge  of  a 
trained  racehorse  which  may  ha\e  cost  its  owner 
£3,000  or  £4,000,  prices  which  of  late  have  been  fre- 
quently paid  fur  horses  in  training.  Another  feature 
of  modern  racing  economy  may  be  here  alluded  to ; 
namely,  the  constant  travelling  to  which  horses  are 
now  subjected,  which  adds  considerably  to  the  anxieties 
of  trainers.  Horses  now  travel  by  railway-train,  and 
in  the  case  of  particular  animals  their  corn,  and  even, 
in  instances,  their  water,  is  taken  with  them,  so  that 
they  may  not  suti'er  from  a  change  of  food. 

Trainers  have  not  escaped  a  share  of  those  calumnies 
to  which  persons  connected  with  the  turf  are  all  more 
or  less  subjected.  Probably  they  are  sometimes  blamed 
when  they  are  innocent  of  all  offence,  but  it  is  quite 
certain  that  trainers  have  on  occasion  done  things  that 
would  not  bear  the  light  of  day.     So  have  jockeys,  as 


TRAINERS  OF  DERB\  AND  OTHER  HORSES.    105 

all  interested  in  horse-racing  know.  In  all  probability, 
the  majority  of  trainers  are  most  faithful  to  their  em- 
ployers ;  it  is  in  their  interests  that  they  are  reputed 
to  do  those  things  which  they  ought  not  to  do.  It  is 
the  public  who  suffer  when  a  horse  is  '  stopped.'  It 
may  be  left  to  others  to  argue  or  illustrate  how  far  it 
is  an  offence,  and  of  what  magnitude,  for  a  trainer  to 
aid  his  employer  in  deceiving  the  public.  That  the 
public  have  often  been  deceived  by  various  '  stables ' 
on  various  occasions  may  be  taken  for  granted. 

Harking  back  to  the  old  times  and  the  old  stories 
of  training  vicissitudes,  ninnerous  incidents  and  anec- 
dotes might  easily  be  collected  bearing  on  the  subject, 
biographical  sketches  having  been  published  of  some 
of  the  more  notable  of  them.  '  Black  Jack'  (Mr.  John 
Lowther)  would  form  a  good  subject  for  a  sketch, 
but  limited  space  forbids.  The  old  school  were  firm 
believers  in  discipline,  and  brought  up  their  lads  in 
wholesome  fear  of  the  rod.  The  riders  who  were 
trained  in  the  Yorkshire  stables  about  the  end  of  the 
last  century  were  well  acquainted  with  the  biting 
qualities  of  the  supple  ash  plant. 

Mr.  John  Sct)it,  of  White-wall,  may  be  cited  as  a 
trainer  who  began  on  the  traditions  of  his  art,  and 
lived  long  enough  to  witness  many  of  what  were  called 
'new-fangled'  practices.  Born  about  the  close  of  the 
last  century,  John  Scott  had  attained  the  good  old 
age  of  seventy-seven  years  at  the  time  of  his  death,  on 
October  4th,  1«71.  For  a  full  half-century  of  his  life- 
time he  figured  as  'a  feature'  of  turf-life.  His  father 
had  also  been  in  his  day  a  trainer,  and  lived  to  the 
grand  old  age  of  a  century  mhius  three  years.     The 


io6  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

'Wizard  of  the  North's'  introduction  to  the  great 
business  of  hfe  took  place  when  he  was  thirteen  years 
old.  Three  years  before  that  time  he  had,  however, 
been  found  useful  in  the  stables,  and  was  allowed  to 
ride  at  exercise.  But,  it  has  been  said,  his  '  beginning ' 
was  bt'ing  sent  off  to  ride  a  race  at  a  place  called 
Blandford:  the  horse  which  he  had  to  ride  was  named 
Tenbones,  and  his  instructions  were  to  ride  the  horse 
in  the  race  for  which  it  Avas  entered,  and  then  sell 
the  mare  to  any  person  who  would  have  her  for 
£30.  John  was  able  to  better  his  instructions,  as 
he  not  only  won  the  race,  but  obtained  £50  for 
the  horse,  and  came  home  triumphant  by  the  coach 
— a  very  proud  boy  indeed.  From  that  date  fortune 
rained  her  best  favours  on  John  Scott,  and  in  due 
time  he  blossomed  into  the  great  man  he  became, 
when  he  was  known  as  England's  foremost  trainer. 
In  1825  he  bought  the  house  and  stables  at  White- 
wall,  and  began  a  business  there  which  speedily 
eclipsed  all  others  of  the  kind.  The  hospitality  of 
the  distinguished  trainer  was  inexhaustible.  He  kept 
open-house  for  his  patrons  and  their  friends.  His 
stables  and  their  surroundinoj's  were  a  siqdit.  Some 
of  the  finest  horses  in  the  country  were  trnined  for 
their  engagements  by  his  instructions,  and  for  a  time 
he  was  almost  invincible.  He  was  much  honoured  by 
his  dependents  and  friends,  and  was  pointed  out  to 
strangers  as  a  great  man.  Undoubtedly  he  was 
master  of  his  business  in  all  its  branches. 

An  interesting  chapter  in  any  history  of  the  turf 
would  be  that  devoted  to  the  Days,  one  of  the  great 
trainincf  and  riding  families  of  England.     There  have 


TRAINERS  OF  DERBY  AND  OTHER  HORSES.    107 

been  many  Days  on  the  turf.  Old  Mrs.  Day,  it  is 
recorded,  saw  four  of  her  sons  riding  in  one  race.  The 
first,  '  Honest  John '  of  Danesbury,  trained  for  the 
Dukes  of  Grafton.  Alfred  Day's  name  is  famous  in 
the  annals  of  turf  horsemanship  ;  one  of  his  races  was 
on  Andover,  for  the  Derby,  by  the  victory  of  which 
horse  a  great  stake  was  landed  for  the  patrons  of  the 
Stockbridge  stable.  The  late  John  Day  continued  the 
fame  of  the  family,  training  in  his  time  many  of  the 
most  famous  race-horses  of  England ;  his  name  for  a 
long  series  of  years  was  as  a  household  word  in  turf 
circles.  The  celebrated  '  Old  John  Day'  died  in  1860; 
and  there  are  still  alive  many  who  remember  him 
dressed  in  his  customary  suit  of  solemn  black,  looking 
more  like  a  clergyman  than  a  man  connected  with  a 
racing-stable.  Years  afterwards  the  John  Day  of  more 
modern  times  died  at  Danebury.  '  He  was  a  man  of 
genial  disposition,  kindly  nature,  hospitable,  and  an 
exceedingly  amusing  companion.' 

As  is  well  known,  many  of  the  men  connected  with 
the  training  of  the  Derby  winners  of  the  last  half 
century  are  yet  alive,  and  amongbt  the  number  are 
Mr.  Alex  Taylor,-of  Manton,  and  Mr.  Matthew  Dawson, 
of  Exning,  who  had  a  horse  running  for  the  '  Blue 
Ribbon '  half  a  century  ago !  Mr.  Robert  Peck,  who 
trained  for  Mr.  Merry,  and  Mr.  Thos.  Jenniugs,  who 
enabled  France  to  avenge  Waterloo,  are  still  living, 
also  Mr.  John  Porter,  of  Kingsclere,  who  trained  some 
of  Sir  Joseph  Hawley's  horses. 


'TATTEHS  ALL'S.' 

The  '  dear  delight '  of  our  sporting  grandfathers  is  no 
longer  what  it  was ;  at  any  rate,  it  is  not  to  their 
grandsons  what  it  was  to  them.  Nor  does  it  stand  on 
the  same  spot  as  it  did  when  '  Tattersall's '  was  the 
imdoubted  centre  of  the  English  turf— so  far,  at  all 
events,  as  the  bettino-  finance  of  racing  was  con- 
cerned. 

'I  shall  meet  you  at  the  Corner'  used  to  be  a 
frequent  formula  for  an  appointment,  and  there  were 
hundreds  of  persons  in  the  betting  world  who  gave  no 
other  address.  *  Will  see  you  at  Tatt's,'  was  all  that 
was  vouchsafed  by  persons  who  were  winning  or  losing 
thousands  daily  at  the  different  race-meetings.  Now- 
adnys  settling  at  the  Corner  is  but  a  phrase  ;  for 
transacting  turf  business  Tattersall's  has  given  place  to 
another  institution,  the  Victoria  Club  (and  similar 
resorts),  at  which  the  greater  j^ortion  of  the  betting 
and  settling  is  accomplished.  So  that  the  Corner  is 
the  Corner  in  the  old  sense  no  longer.  The  horse- 
repository  of  the  period  is  still  in  the  hands  of  the 
family,  but  is  now  situated  at  Knightsbridge,  not  at 
Hyde  Park  Corner. 

As  a  betting  arena,  more  especially  in  co  nioction 


'TATTERS  alls:  109 

with  the  Derby,  Tattersall's  has  paled  its  fires,  betting 
being  now  mostly  transacted  at  '  the  clubs,'  many  of 
which  have  been  so  constituted  as  to  admit  of  that 
class  of  business  being  carried  on ;  and  at  these  the 
chief  bookmakers,  or  their  representatives,  may  be 
seen,  except,  of  course,  when  a  race-meeting  of  more 
than  usual  importance  is  taking  place,  when  the 
pencillers  Avill  be  found  in  '  the  rings,'  those  of  them 
who  never  leave  London  excepted.  When  a  commission 
is  required  to  be  executed,  Tattersall's  is  no  longer,  as 
of  yore,  resorted  to  ;  the  necessary  transactions  can  be 
carried  out  at  the  Victoria  or  Albert,  or  other 
clubs,  in  which  place  a  horse  entered  in  the  Derby,  or 
in  a  big  handicap,  can  be  backed  to  win  pretty  con- 
siderable sums  of  money,  quite  as  much,  probably,  as 
an  owner  may  wish  to  bag  over  the  victory  of  his 
animal  The  betting  which  now  takes  place  at  '  Tatt's ' 
is  not  a  fiftieth  |)art  of  what  it  was  wont  to  be  in  the 
days  of  old,  when  tens  of  thousands  of  pounds  used  to 
change  hands  as  if  they  were  so  many  half-crowns. 
On  days,  indeed,  when  the  '  betting  at  Tattersall's  '  is 
sometimes  eagerly  looked  for,  there  is  none,  that  re- 
nowned resort,  as  the  newspapers  proclaim,  having 
been  '  drawn  blank.'  One  or  two  old-fashioned  news- 
papers still,  however,  quote  *  Monday's  betting.' 

Those  who  remember  Tattersall's  in  the  days  of  its 
greatness  as  the  chief  money-market  of  the  turf,  will 
long  regret,  as  Admiral  Rous  once  said  '  the  disap- 
pearance of  the  old  Corner,  the  gravel  walk,  the  green 
lawn,  the  very  cow — so  emblematical  of  milk — and 
the  plane-tree,  under  whose  shade  mysterious  books 
have  been  scrutinized  and  judgment  recordea.'     At 


no  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

one  time  or  another  Tattersall's  has  been  frequented 
by  all  the  famous  turf- men  of  England ;  lords  and 
'legs,'  peers  and  parvenues,  priests  and  publicans,  noble 
captains  and  ignoble  cads,  have  each  in  turn  strutted 
and  fretted  their  brief  hour  at  the  Corner,  which  in 
its  time  was  the  scene  of  many  a  turf  tragedy,  the 
stage  of  countless  intrigues,  and  the  centre  of  numer- 
ous plots  and  contrivances.  At  one  time  or  another 
racing  men  of  all  grades  used  to  have  business  at 
'  Tatt's ' ;  some  who  were  not  possessed  of  the  entrde  to 
the  '  holy  of  holies '  had  to  wait  in  the  ante-chamber, 
in  order  to  make  or  obtain  their  payments ;  and  we 
have  read  of  those  who  went  to  that  famous  resort  to 
pay  or  receive  their  thousands,  or  tens  of  thousands. 
An  old  Scottish  country  gentleman,  who  was  taken  to 
the  Corner  by  a  friend,  was  hoard  on  his  return  to  say 
that  nothing  surprised  him  so  much  as  Tattersall's. 
*  Thoosands  !  absolute  thoosands  !  chinge  frae  man  to 
man  without  so  much  as  a  "  thank  you"  in  return.  I 
wonder  where  all  the  money  comes  from  ?' 

In  the  3'ear  1848  the  number  of  subscribers  to  the 
subscription  rooms  at  the  Corner  numbered  1,000 
persons.  At  first  the  rooms  were  pretty  much  in  the 
possession  of  a  coterie  of  rich  exclusives,  but  in  time, 
as  betting  extended,  and  men  wanted  to  win  larger 
sums  of  money  than  they  could  do  from  their  com- 
panions, the  portals  of  Tattersall's  required  to  be 
widened,  and  men  were  admitted  to  the  sacred 
chambers  who  would  not  otherwise  have  been  tolerated. 
My  lord  felt  no  scruples  in  betting  with  a  man  in 
Tattersall's,  or  on  the  race-course,  on  whom  he  would 
have  scowled  had  he  sought  admission  to  his  house, 


*  TA  TTERSALLS:  1 1 1 

even  by  the  area-gate.  When  gentlemen  wanted  to 
back  their  horses  to  win  big  purses  of  money  for  the 
Derby,  or  any  other  event,  it  was  convenient  to  find  at 
their  elbow  a  bookmaker  ready  to  accommodate  them ; 
and  many  a  heavy  commission  has  been  successfully 
worked  at  Tattersall's.  Thirty  years  ago  a  writer  gave 
indications  of  the  immense  sums  of  money  which  used 
to  change  hands  at  that  famed  resort,  often  enough  to 
the  extent  of  £100,000  on  the  settling-day  after  a 
great  race : 

'  What  a  theme  for  the  moralist  and  historian  does 
that  simple  word  "Tattersall's"  open  up!  How 
fortunes  have  been  won  and  lost  in  "  the  room,"  and 
how  emperors,  kings,  princes,  and  the  most  exalted  of 
the  aristocracy  of  all  nations,  have  rubbed  elbows  with 
dealers,  "  legs,"  "  copers,"  and  the  lower  order  of  the 
"  ossitocracy  "  in  general  in  the  yard,  would  prove  an 
interesting  story.' 

But  apart  altogether  from  the  fame  of  the  subscrip- 
tion-rooms which  have  ftn*  such  a  long  period  been 
attached  to  the  establishment,  Tattersall's  is  well 
worthy  of  having  its  history  written.  It  is  surprising 
that  a  volume  of  '  Memories  '  has  not  long  since  been 
devoted  to  its  founder,  and  an  account  of  the  business 
(in  horse-dealing)  so  long  carried  on,  which  is  un- 
doubtedly the  most  important  of  its  kind.  Sketches 
of  the  first  Mr.  Tattersall— '  Old  Tatt,'  as  he  was 
fondly  called  by  his  familiar  friends— and  his  cele- 
brated horse  Highflyer  liave  been  written,  but  the 
sporting  public  would  undoubtedly  read  with  relish 
an  authentic  history  of  the  establishment,  from  the 
pen,  say,  of  the  present  head  of  the  house,  or  from 


112  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OE  THE  TURF. 

someone  actinqj  under  his  autliority.  The  materials 
for  such  a  work  must  be  ample,  and  its  interest  would 
be  great.  Some  member  of  the  family  might  take 
this  hint,  and  at  once  set  to  work. 

The  report  of  the  dinner  given  in  honour  of  the  firm 
in  April,  1805,  has  supplied  materials  for  the  following 
sketch.  The  chair  on  that  occasion  was  filled  by 
Admiral  Ptous,  and  over  250  persons  were  present  at 
the  banquet,  the  bill  of  fare  of  which  comprised  100 
dishes.  In  proposing  the  toast  of  the  evening,  the 
Admiral  said  it  was  not  the  duration  of  time,  or  the 
great  trade  which  had  been  carried  on,  which  com- 
manded respect,  but  rather  the  probity  and  straight- 
forward conduct  which  had  always  characterized  the 
firm,  from  father  to  sou. 

From  the  speech  of  Mr.  Richard  Tattersall  we 
obtain  an  epitome  of  the  rise  and  progress  of  the 
firm  : 

'  I  am  well  aware  that  this  high  compliment  which 
has  just  been  paid  us  arises  from  no  merit  either  of 
my  own  or  my  partners,  but  chiefly  from  a  desire, 
natural  to  all  Englishmen,  to  wish  success  to  a  busi- 
ness which  has  been  carried  on  and  conducted  by  the 
same  family,  and  in  the  same  locality,  for  so  great  a 
number  of  years,  A  higher  compliment  than  this,  I 
believe,  has  never  before  been  paid  to  men  in  such  a 
position.  We  are  honoured  by  the  presence  of  a  great 
number  of  the  nobility  and  gentry,  and  many  who  are 
unable  to  bo  present  themselves  have  done  us  the 
honour  of  sending  their  race-cups  for  the  occasion. 
It  is  now  one  hundred  j'ears  ago — "  bar  one  " — since 
my  great-grandfather — who  was   best   known  to  his 


*  TA  TTERSA  LLS:  1 1 3 

contemporaries  by  the  name  of  "  Old  Tatt "- — leased 
from  the  then  Earl  Grosvenor  the  ])iece  of  ground 
on  which  he  established  our  business,  long  and 
familiarly  known  as  The  Corner,  and  by  his  honesty, 
uprightness  and  integrit}^  he  secured  the  respect  and 
confidence  of  all  who  knew  him.  The  then  Prince 
of  Wales,  afterwards  George  IV.,  was  a  constant 
attendant  at  the  establishment  in  the  time  of  my 
grandfather,  and  it  was  by  his  own  desire  that  tlie 
bust  of  his  Majesty,  which  stood  in  the  old  yard,  was 
placed  there,  where  it  remained  until  we  were  "turned 
out,"  and  it  is  now  "up"  in  our  new  yard  at  Albert 
Gate.  I  remember  heaving  many  strange  stories  con- 
cerning the  Prince  and  his  companions  at  the  old 
Corner.  Among  them,  one  of  a  post-chaise  and  four 
galloping  into  Newmarket  at  night,  His  Royal 
Highness  ridinc;  the  leaders  and  Charles  James  Fox 
the  wheelers.  My  great-grandfather  was  succeeded 
about  the  end  of  last  century  by  his  son,  my  grand- 
father, who  had  likewise  the  reputation  of  being  a 
man  of  strict  integrity  and  honour,  and  who  was  also 
a  good  deal  connected  with  the  Prince  of  Wales,  as  he 
was  for  many  years  associated  with  the  Prince  as 
joint  proprietor  of  the  Mornivg  Post  newspaper.  In 
1810  my  father  and  uncle  succeeded  to  the  business, 
which  they  carried  on,  I  might  say,  with  credit  and 
success,  for  nearly  half  a  century.  No  men,  perhaps, 
were  ever  more  popular  with  all  classes,  and  no  men, 
I  believe,  ever  made  more  sincere  friends ;  and  among 
others  I  may  mention  the  name  of  an  English 
nobleman  who  was  a  model  in  every  relntion  of  life — 
the  late  I>uke  of  Richmond.     Time  and  the  Marquis 

8 


114  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

of  Westminster  have,  however,  driven  us  out  from  our 
time-honoured  locality,  and  we  have  secured  a  spot 
as  near  to  the  Corner  as  we  could  get;  but  al- 
thouo'h  we  have  changed  our  habitation,  we  have  not 
changed  our  principles,  and  we  hope  to  be  still 
honoured  with  the  confidence  and  patronage  which 
we  have  for  so  many  3'cars  enjoyed.  A  hundred 
years  ago  horse-racing  and  betting  were  confined  to 
noblemen  and  gentlemen,  and  bookmakers  were  as 
little  dreamt  of  as  railways  or  electric  telegraphs.  But 
bookmakers  have  since  arisen,  and  horse-racing  has 
become  far  more  popular,  even  amongst  persons  in 
humble  ranks,  who  some  few  years  since  would  as  soon 
have  thought  of  keeping  a  tame  elephant  as  a  race- 
horse, or  of  "making  a  book."  In  1815  my  grand- 
father opened  a  small  room  for  the  accommodation  of 
bookmakers,  who  had  hitherto  been  accustomed  to 
walk  about  the  yard  picking  up  a  stray  "  pony  "  when- 
ever they  could.  That  room  has  become  an  institu- 
tion of  the  turf;  and  in  our  new  premises  neither 
time  nor  money  has  been  spared  to  make  the  room 
fitted  for  the  object  for  which  it  has  been  erected.  I 
attribute  the  great  success  of  m}^  family  as  being  due 
to  their  untiring  industry  and  integrity,  and  the  up- 
rightness of  their  dealings.  My  grandfather  used  to  say 
that  he  told  more  lies  than  any  man  in  England,  but 
that,  like  those  of  a  counsellor,  they  were  all  "  briefe-l  " 
to  him.  I  beg,  in  conclusion,  to  tliank  the  company  for 
the  honour  they  have  done  us  by  attending  here  this 
eveninsjf,  and  for  the  kind  and  confidential  manner  in 
which  they  have  spoken  of  our  firm  ;  and  I  assure  you 
that  no  effort  on  the  part  of  either  myself  or  my 


*  TA  TTERSA  LL'S:  115 

partner  shall  be  spared  to  merit  your  approval  and  to 
conduct  the  business  as  our  predecessors  have  done. 
As  long  as  I  live  I  shall  look  back  to  this  day  as  one 
of  the  proudest  and  m(^st  pleasant  of  my  existence.' 

Mr.  Tattersall's  speech  may  be  supplemented  by  a 
few  additional  facts  of  an  interesting  kind : 

The  founder  of  the  firm  came  to  London,  from  some 
place  on  the  borders  of  Lancashire  and  Yorkshire,  the 
name  of  which  has  not  been  given,  in  the  year  1743. 
He  had  been,  when  at  home,  a  wool-comber,  but  was 
all  his  life  fond  of  horses,  and  it  is  related  that  when 
he  arrived  in  the  great  Metropolis  he  became  a  con- 
stant attendant  at  Beevor's  horse-repository  in  St. 
Martin's  Lane.  Whether  or  not  he  found  employ- 
ment there  has  not  been  stated  ;  but  that  he  took  a 
keen  interest  in  all  that  went  on  at  that  place  is  cer- 
tain, and  that  he,  either  during  his  visits  to  Beevor's 
or  at  some  previous  date,  had  acquired  a  good  know- 
ledge of  horseflesh  is  evident  from  his  having  been 
appointed  to  a  position  of  great  trust  in  the  stables  of 
the  second  and  last  Duke  of  Kinoston.  As  training- 
groom  he  remained  in  the  service  of  that  nobleman  till 
the  year  1773,  in  which  year  the  Duke  died. 

Whether  the  celebrated  livery-stables  were  opened 
at  or  before  this  date  appears  to  be  somewhat  uncer- 
tain. Mr.  John  Lawrence,  author  of  '  The  Horse,' 
states  that  Tattersall's  was  opened  in  or  about  the 
year  1760  ;  but  in  a  paper  contributed  to  the  Penny 
Magazine,  vol.  xiii.,  the  date  is  given  as  1773. 
In  this  article  the  place  is  described  as  one  '  where 
men  of  honour  might  congregate,  free  from  the  snioll 
of  the  stable,  and  enjoy  a  view  of  the  most  beautiful 

8—2 


ii6  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

horses  without  being  perpetually  in  contact  with  the 
jockey  or  horse-dealer.'  The  Penny  Mtujazlne  of  the 
period  was  evidently  not  highly  endowed  with  the 
gift  of  prophecy  ;  at  any  rate,  the  writer  quoted  was 
unable  to  foretell  that  a  time  would  come  when  the 
jockey  would  often  enough  be  the  chosen  companion 
of  some  of  the  highest  in  the  land,  finding  admission, 
apparently  on  terms  of  equality,  to  the  most  exclusive 
drawing-rooms  and  clubs  of  London.  Is  it  not  the 
case  that  one  or  two  foshionable  jockeys  of  the  period 
have  been  received  at  the  '  at  homes  '  of  ladies  of 
very  hvAx  de^rree  ?  However,  to  come  back  to  our 
horses,  it  has  to  be  recounted  that  Mr.  Tattersall  at 
once  obtained  success  in  his  business.  Accordinsr 
to  Mr.  Lawrence,  he  was  the  proprietor  of  Young 
Traveller,  a  stallion,  and  also  became  in  time  the 
purchaser  of  Highflyer,  a  horse  which  was  destined 
to  have  its  name  prominently  emblazoned  on  the  roll 
of  turf  celebrity.  That  the  first  Mr.  Tattersall  had 
greatly  succeeded  in  his  business  at  an  early  date  is 
evident  enough  by  the  fact  of  his  having  been  able  to 
'  pay  down  '  in  ready  money  the  sum  of  £2,500  for  his 
fancy  Highflyer,  which  was  sold  to  him  by  Lord 
Bolinfjbroke.  Indeed,  the  founder  of  the  firm  was  so 
fortunate  at  the  outset  of  his  business  as  to  obtain 
the  high  patronage  and  kindly  countenance  of  several 
distinguished  persons.  One  of  his  first  important 
'jobs'  was  the  disposal  of  the  Duke  of  Cumberland's 
stud  on  the  decease  of  that  xoydX  Prince.  It  may  be 
here  related,  in  reference  to  'Tattersall's'  (the  subscrip- 
tion-room, that  is),  that  it  was  opened  about  the  year 
1789    with    about    seventy-six    subscribers  —  among 


'  TA  TTERS ALL'S?  1 1 7 

whom  were  to  be  found  some  of  the  most  distinguished 
names  in  the  roll  of  the  English  nobility,  the  mem- 
bership being  kept  for  a  time  exceedingly  select. 

It  may  be  taken  for  granted  that  the  career  of  such 
a  person  as  Mr.  Tattersall  will  be  surveyed  with  in- 
terest even  in  this  bald  sketch.  The  name  of  Tatter- 
sall is  known  wherever  there  is  a  horse.  Richard 
Tattersall  was  the  architect  of  his  own  fortune,  and 
of  the  fortunes  of  his  descendants;  but  he  could 
never,  seeing  that  he  died  on  February  21st,  17D5, 
have  foreseen  the  extent  to  which  the  business  he 
had  begun  w^ould  grow,  or  the  enormous  prices  Avhich 
many  of  the  horses  sold  under  the  hammer  of  his 
grandson  would  bring. 

The  owner  of  the  great  horse  and  the  fine  Hall 
which  was  named  after  it  was  an  eminently  social 
and  hospitable  man,  and  drew  around  his  fireside  a 
select  circle  of  the  choicest  spirits  of  the  age.  ]\len  of 
high  position  did  not  disdain  to  partake  of  his  fine  old 
port.  It  was  a  proverbial  saying  among  his  friends 
that  everything  which  old  Mr.  Tattersall  touched 
turned  to  gold.  He  even  became  successful  as  a 
newspaper  proprietor,  being  at  one  time  a  part 
proprietor  of  the  Morning  Post;  but  although  that 
journal  yielded  .what  was  at  the  time  considered  a 
large  profit,  he  became  dissatisfied  with  its  manage- 
ment, and  started  the  Morning  Herald  in  opposition. 

In  his  capacity  of  newspaper  proprietor,  Mr.  Tatter- 
sall did  not  escape  without  a  little  taste  of  the  d(Is- 
agrdmens  of  that  risky  position  :  being  convicted  of  a 
libel  on  the  Duke  of  Richmond,  he  was  imprisoned  for 
a  period  of  three  months  in  the  King's  Bench.     After 


Ii8  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

a  few  3'ears'  experience  of  the  press  Mr.  Tattersall  re- 
tired from  the  cares  and  anxieties  of  newspaper 
manaofement,  and  went  to  Hve  in  his  Hall,  where,  in  the 
choicest  language  of  the  story-teller,  *  he  lived  happy 
for  a  long  period,  and  then  died  in  the  good  graces  of 
all  men.'  According  to  tho  fashion  of  the  period,  he 
was  honoured  with  an  epitaph,  worded  as  follows : 

*  Sacred  to  the  ashes  of  Richard  Tattersall,  late  of 
Hyde  Park  Corner,  in  the  county  of  Middlesex,  Esq., 
who,  by  his  indefatigable  industry,  irreproachable 
character,  and  unassuming  manners,  raised  himself 
from  an  humble,  though  respectable,  origin  to  in- 
dependence and  affluence.  To  the  rare  excellence  of 
bearing  prosperity  with  moderation,  he  by  his  in- 
flexible integrity  united  (as  he  justly  acquired)  the 
exalted  appellation  of  Honest  Man,  and  continued  un- 
corrupted  even  by  riches.  Thus  universally  respected 
and  beloved  by  all  Avho  knew  him  he  lived,  and  died 
as  universally  regretted  on  the  21st  February,  in  the 
year  of  our  Lord  1795,  and  in  the  71st  year  of  his  age. 
But  though  his  perishable  part,  together  with  this 
frail  tribute  to  his  ashes,  shall  decay,  yet  as  long  as  the 
honest  recollections  of  honest  work,  sociable  manners, 
and  hospitality  unbounded  shall  bo  dear  to  the 
memory  of  man,  the  remembrance  of  him  shall  live, 
surviving  the  slender  aid  of  the  proud  pyramid,  the 
boasted  durability  of  brass,  and  the  wreck  of  ages.' 

Harking  back  to  '  the  subscription-rooms,'  it  has  to 
be' recorded  tliat  the  '  Tattersall's'  of  to-day  has  fallen 
somewhat  into  disrepute  as  a  tribunal  for  the  settle- 
ment of  disputed  bets.  Till  about  the  end  of  the 
year  1842  the  Jockey  Club  used  to  take  cognizance  of 


•  TA  TTERSALL'S:  1 1 9 

bettins?  disputes ;  but  at  that  date  a  resolution  was 
passed  that  the  chib  would  not  in  future  act  in  such 
matters,  suggesting  at  the  same  time  that  disputes 
should  be  settled  by  reference,  a  referee  to  be  chosen 
by  each  party,  and,  in  the  event  of  non-agreement, 
an  oversman  should  be  selected,  whose  decision 
should  be  final.  So  matters  remained  till  1858,  when 
a  number  of  rules — in  all,  nineteen — drawn  up  jointly 
by  a  committee  of  Tattersall's  and  the  subscription- 
rooms  at  Newmarket  were  adopted,  and  similar  rules, 
founded  on  these,  are  now  in  operation. 


TOUTS  AND  TIPSTERS. 

Many  interested  in  horse-racing,  especially  those  who 
have  been  studying  it  for  a  period  of  twenty-five  or 
thirty  years,  will  remember  that  the  sporting  papers, 
about  the  time  indicated,  contained  announcements 
from  sundry  persons  anxious  to  foretell  the  winner  of 
the  Derby.  The  number  of  tipsters  ottering  informa- 
tion was  so  large  as  to  render  it  evident  that  the  busi- 
ness was  a  paying  one  :  all  sorts  of  people  put  on  the 
mantle  of  prophecy  for  a  few  weeks  previous  to  the 
day  set  for  the  decision  of  the  race,  and,  no  matter 
that  the  majority  of  them  proved  false  prophets,  the 
tips  they  gave  were  greedily  purchased,  eagerly 
scanned,  and  frequently  acted  upon — to  the  gain  of 
the  tipster  and  the  almost  certain  loss  of  his  victims. 
Most  of  those  who  engaged  in  the  business  were,  very 
likely,  persons  who  knew  nothing  about  the  Derby 
horses,  but  \.ere  possessed  of  sufficient  knowledge  of 
the  world,  and  of  the  fools  who  live  in  it,  to  be  able  to 
prey  upon  tliem  with  good  effect. 

Ujion  the  occasion  of  a  criminal  trial  some  twenty- 
five  years  ago,  it  was  elicited  in  evidence  that  a  man 
who  had  been  blind  for  the  previous  ten  years  had 
been   acting  (on  paper)  as  a  Derby  tout  and  prophet. 


TOUTS  AND  TIPSTERS.  121 

This  was  surely  a  case  of  the  hlind  leading  the  blind  ; 
no  matter,  the  proj)het  confessed  that  he  made  a  good 
living  out  of  the  business.  Many  instances  of  good 
livings  being  earned  by  tipping  might  be  given.  At  one 
time  there  Avould  not  be  less  than  perhaps  a  hundred 
persons  engaged  trying  to  make  the  fortunes  of  their 
fellow-creatures,  but  when  the  daily  newspapers  began 
to  give  extended  notices  of  turf  matters,  these  gentry 
became  in  less  request.  A  selection  of  advertise- 
ments relating  to  the  Derb}^,  extending  over  the  last 
fifty  years,  would  form  a  curious  chapter  illustrative 
of  human  folly.  Some  of  the  tipsters  advertised  that 
they  had  dreamt  the  winner,  and  that  they  would 
impart  their  information  on  receipt  of  half-a- crown's 
worth  of  postage-stamps ;  others,  again,  wished  it  to  be 
known  that,  by  means  of  clairvoyance,  they  had 
ascertained  the  name  of  the  horse  which  would  win, 
and  also  another  one,  at  a  long  price,  which  would 
obtain  a  place. 

The  Derby  was  selected  by  the  adventurers  as  the 
best  race  to  work  upon,  because  of  its  strong  hold  on 
the  popular  affections  of  the  people.  Many  persons 
bet  a  little  over  that  event  who  never  bet  on  any 
other  race.  There  are  men  who  say,  '  I  am  not  a  bet- 
ting man,  but  I  do  sport  a  sovereign  or  two  over  the 
Derby,  win  or  lose.'  A  surprising  amount  of  success 
often  attended  the  bouncing  advertisements  of  these 
tipster  knaves  ;  it  became  known,  in  the  case  of  one  of 
them,  that  for  eight  days  before  the  Derby  he  received 
about  two  hundred  letters  each  day,  every  one  of  which 
probably  contained  twelve  postage  stamps,  as  also  a 
stamped  envelope  for  reply. 


T22  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

A  rogne  of  the  tipster  kind  carried  on,  for  some 
twenty  days  before  the  great  race,  no  less  than  eleven 
such  agencies.  One  of  his  tricks  was  to  advertise  as  a 
governess  out  of  a  situation,  Avho  had,  while  in  her 
last  place,  obtained  a  grand  turf  secret — no  less  than 
the  winner  of  the  Derby — while  acting  as  the  amanu- 
ensis of  her  master ;  her  terms  were  a  fee  of  live 
shillings  by  post-office  order ;  another  dodge  of  this 
person  was  an  advertisement  purporting  to  be  inserted 
by  a  clergyman,  saying  that  he  had  obtained  the  names 
of  the  first  three  horses  from  a  tout  whom  he  had 
attended  on  his  death-bed,  the  object  of  his  advertise- 
ment being  to  provide  a  fund  for  the  relief  of  the  said 
tout's  very  destitute  family.  He  also  posed  as  a  lady's 
maid  who  had  discovered  the  name  of  the  winning 
horse  by  accident,  and  who,  for  a  fee  of  three  shillings 
and  sixpence,  would  tell  all  she  knew.  Other  plans  of 
this  Kapoleon  of  the  art  were  of  a  commoner  sort,  but 
proved  more  or  less  successful.  An  active  tipster  takes 
pains  to  spread  his  favours  over  all  the  horses  likely  to 
run  in  the  race,  sending  a  different  selection  to  each 
applicant,  so  that  in  the  event  of  one  of  those  he  has 
named  '  pulling  through,'  i.e.,  winning,  he  can  refer  to 
'  the  great  success  of  his  tip,  and  ask  with  confidence 
for  the  renewal  of  past  favours,  having  something 
good  in  reserve  for  one  of  the  big  handicaps.'  Those 
were  the  tipsters  of  thirty  years  ago,  and  even  further 
back. 

During  the  last  fifty  5'ears,  as  has  been  hinted,  the 
tips  given  for  successive  races  for  the  Derby  Stakes 
w^ould  form  a  curious  collection,  especially  if  they  were 
to  be  liberallv  annotated    with  illustrative   remarks. 


TOUTS  AND  TIPSTERS.  123 

Sporting  journalists  Avho  could  rhyme  a  little  were 
wont  to  invoke  the  muse  about  the  time  set  for  the 
decision  of  the  Derby,  and  it  is  no  more  than  the 
truth  to  say  that  some  of  their  poetic  prophecies  Avere 
admirably  done  ;  many  of  them  not  only  gave  the 
winner,  but  their  selection  was  couclied  in  beautiful 
language,  when  the  difficulty  is  considered  of  working 
with  so  many  different  names. 

It  was  in  1837  the  poetical  tips  began  :  '  Vates,'  a 
well-known  turf-writer  of  that  time,  led  off",  scoring  a 
brilliant  success  the  first  time  of  askincr :  his  lines 
ended  as  follows  : 

'  'Tis  over  ;  the  trick  for  the  thousands  is  done  : 
George  Edwards  on  Phosphorus  the  Derby  has  won.' 

Among  the  poetic  prophets,  '  Orange  Blossom  '  scored 
several  successes,  and  so  did  '  Rhyming  Richard  '  and 
many  others.  Outsiders  who  had  no  access  to  the  press 
also  set  themselves  up  as  poets,  and  recited  verses 
made  for  the  occasion,  in  tap-rooms  of  public  houses 
and  on  tlie  street.  In  some  years  the  poetry  apropos 
to  the  Derby  was  much  more  in  evidence  than  in 
others  ;  Blue  Gown's  year  was  one  of  them.  One  of  the 
many  doggerel  songs  which  heralded  the  victory  of  Sir 
Joseph  Hawley's  Blue  Gown  is  worth  quoting,  to  the 
extent,  at  least,  of  the  concludin<]f  verse,  seeinij  that 
the  ragged  prophet  who  recited  it,  at  The  Cock,  at 
Sutton,  assured  all  who  would  listen  to  him  that  the 
poetry  was  his  own,  and  that  Blue  Gown  was  a  cer- 
tainty. After  going  over  all  the  probable  competitors, 
his  'poem'  wound  up  as  follows: 


124  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

'  Yet  thousatiiis  there  be  who  profess  to  believe 
In  an  easy-won  victory  by  Sir  Joseph's  Green  Sleeve  j 
But  all  ye  gay  galhmts  from  London's  big  town 
Must  shell  out  your  gold  on  bonnie  Blue  Gown.' 

That  particular  poet,  it  may  be  noted,  was  possessed  of 
a  wonderful  memory.  As  the  returning  crowd  from 
the  Downs  halted  at  The  Cock  to  refresh  themselves 
on  their  way  home,  he  was  there  to  remind  them  of 
his  prophecy,  and  to  solicit  largess,  a  demand  which 
many  persons  good-humouredly  complied  with,  more 
especially  thos.e  who  had  backed  the  horse. 

Stray  poetic  tips  on  several  of  the  chief  events  of  the 
year  still  make  their  appearance  in  some  of  the  sport- 
ing newspapers,  but  the  practice  is  evidently  falling 
into  desuetude. 

Coming  to  the  present  time,  it  may  be  asserted  that 
touts  and  tipsters  were  never  more  industrious.  Of 
this  fact  the  numerous  advertisements  which  con- 
stantly appear  in  the  sporting  journals  aftbrd  testimony. 
They — the  tipsters — offer  people  fortunes  for  a  shilling 
or  two,  but  the  fortunes  which  emanate  from  these 
people  are  mostly  made  up  of  '  rainbow  gold,'  very 
evanescent. 

The  touts,  of  course,  come  first,  making  it  their 
business  to  supply  information  more  or  less  reliable,  as 
to  the  work  done  by  horses  trained  at  Newmarket  and 
other  places.  It  then  becomes  the  duty  of  the  tipsters 
to  generalize  and  utilize  the  reports  of  the  touts,  and 
pass  them  on  to  the  public,  either  through  the  columns 
of  the  sporting  press,  or  by  means  of  letters,  telegrams, 
and  circulars.  The  various  training  quarters  are  regu- 
larly '  touted  '  by  men  well  versed  in  their  business, 


TOUTS  AND  TIPSTERS.  125 

probably  bred  to  it,  indeed — at  least,  in  the  sense  of 
having  been  in  some  way  or  other  connected  from  an 
early  period  of  their  lives  Avith  the  'noble  animal.' 
Some  touts  have  in  their  day  been  themselves  owners 
of  race-horses;  others  have  been  trainers;  three  or  four 
have  been  jockeys.  Many  persons  take  to  touting 
simply  from  love  of  the  work  ;  one  industrious  horse- 
watcher  tells  of  himself  that  he  was  brought  up  to 
factory  life  ;  another,  as  may  be  gathered  from  his 
communications,  carries  on  a  tailoring  business,  whilst 
some  are  petty  shopkeepers  as  well  as  touts. 

At  Newmarket  a  large  number,  probably  half  a 
hundred,  of  such  persons  find  the  business  remunera- 
tive ;  one  of  the  community  boasts  of  the  comfortable 
cottaGres  he  has  been  able  to  build  from  his  y-ains  as  a 
horse-watcher.  Another  is  reputed  to  earn  quite 
£1,000  per  annum  at  the  work!  As  there  are  some- 
times 1,000  horses  training  at  'headquarters,'  it  is 
suthciently  obvious  that  the  touts  at  that  great  centime 
of  the  'sport  of  kings'  have  their  work  cut  out  for  them. 
There  are  probably  about  fifty  training-stables  situated 
in  other  parts  of  the  country,  the  horses  trained  in 
each  of  which  are  watched  perhaps  by  a  couple  of 
capable  touts,  who  will  report  to  their  employers 
every  day  by  telegraph  as  to  the  work  done  by  the 
animals  at  exercise.  As  in  other  occupations,  so  in 
touting  there  are  degrees  of  celebrity — there  are  touts 
and  touts.  Newmarket  horse- watchers  have  before 
now  become  famous  in  their  sphere  of  labour  by  their 
industry  and  success,  undergoing  day  by  day  a  great 
amount  of  personal  trouble  and  fatigue  in  order  to 
obtain  information. 


126  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

These  men  have  been  able  sometimes  to  '  spot '  a 
horse  for  a  particular  race  many  months  before  it 
could  be  run,  enabling  their  employers  to  win  con- 
siderable sums  of  money  by  backing  the  animal  when 
a  big  price  could  be  got  against  its  chance.  Anec- 
dotes have  from  time  to  time  been  related  of  the 
tricks  resorted  to  by  touts  to  obtain  information  as  to 
the  training  and  tiials  of  horses.  Owners  of  race- 
horses as  a  rule  detest  touts,  and  when  they  have  a 
horse  to  try  for  some  important  race,  study  to  mislead 
them,  or  throw  them  quite  off  the  scent,  by  putting 
fanciful  w^eights  on  the  animals  taking  part  in  the 
trial,  and  by  other  devices ;  but  it  is  a  difficult  matter 
to  baftle  a  tout.  No  matter  whether  the  sun  shine  or 
the  wind  blow,  the  tout  will  be  looking  from  some 
coign  of  vantage  in  an  open  drain,  from  a  haycock  or 
corn-rick,  or  from  any  spot  where  he  can  observe  what 
is  doing  on  the  particular  training-ground  which  it  is 
his  duty  to  watch.  A  certain  nobleman  once  upon  a  time 
captured  a  body  of  touts,  and  had  them  driven  in  an 
omnibus  to  a  distant  town,  where  dinner  had  been 
ordered  for  them.  In  their  absence  an  important  trial 
was  brought  off,  of  which  they  were  duly  informed,  too 
late,  of  course,  to  be  of  use  to  them.  Some  trainers 
have  their  training-grounds  well  searched  by  men  and 
dogs,  so  as  to  be  pretty  sure  their  trials  will  not  be 
overlooked.  But  even  exceedingly  vigilant  people 
have  been  deceived.  '  You  need  not  mind  that  poor 
old  mushroom-gatherer,'  said  a  trainer  to  his  men  ; 
'she'll  not  know  what  we  are  doing.'  But  in  that  the 
trainer  was  wrong,  the  poor  old  woman  being  a  tout 
in  disguise,  who  saw  all  that  he  wanted  to  see,  and  so 


TOUTS  AND  TJPSTERS..  127 

was   able   to   serve   bis   employer   by   means   of  bis 
ingenuity,  and  tbereby  put  money  in  bis  purse. 

The  sporting  newspapers,  and  many  other  journals 
as  well,  now  give  daily  reports  from  the  various  train- 
ing places,  especially  from  Newmarket.  It  is  not  very 
easy  to  say  bow  the  work  is  accomplished.  At  New- 
market, the  distances  between  some  of  the  training- 
grounds  being  very  considerable,  more  than  one  man 
is  required  for  the  work  of  the  morning.  As  has  been 
said,  there  are  touts  and  touts.  It  is  a  proverb 
among  the  fraternity  at  Newmarket  that  '  those  who 
lie  in  bed  of  a  morning  do  no  good  for  themselves ;' 
and  touts  are  occasionally  heard  of  who  are  never  seen 
on  the  training-gallops,  and  would  hardly  know  a 
horse  if  they  saw  one.  It  is  insinuated,  in  fact,  that 
they  '  make  up  '  their  reports  at  second-hand,  having 
persons  in  their  interest  who  suppl}'  them  with  infor- 
mation— of  a  kind.  Several  of  the  Newmarket  horse- 
watchers  not  only  'tout,'  they  'tip'  as  well,  sending 
long  letters  to  particular  journals,  giving  a  full  and 
particular  account  of  the  work  done,  analyzing  and 
comparing  form,  and  ending  with  an  expression  of 
opinion  as  to  which  of  the  horses  in  a  race  is  likely  to 
win,  while  the  daily  purveyors  of  training  intelligence 
each  give  their  tip  immediately  previous  to  a  big  race ; 
and  it  is  not  a  little  surprising  to  tind  the  touts  at 
Newmarket,  Man  ton,  Stanton,  Kingsclere,  and  Mai  ton 
each  able  to  supply  the  winner  of  the  same  race ! 
Touts  are  well  paid,  many  of  them  earning  a  good 
deal  of  money,  liberal  presents  being  occasionally 
bestowed  on  them  when  they  are  able  to  herald  a  big 


128  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

success,  wliich  some  of  the  body  will  manage  to  do 
half  a  dozen  times  in  the  course  of  the  season. 

The  wife  of  the  great  trainer  at  Mai  ton  used  to  aver 
that  she  was  always  glad  to  see  the  touts  about,  as  it 
was  a  sign  that  there  were  horses  on  the  ground  worth 
watching ;  and  in  the  palmy  days  of  the  '  Wizard  of 
the  North  '  there  was  always  a  little  knot  of  these 
persons  taking  stock  of  all  they  could  see.  The 
*  Druid,'  in  one  of  his  ch.irming  '  gossips  '  says  Flying 
Dutchman  w^as  watched  by  a  perfect  regiment  of  them 
before  the  Derby,  sixteen  having  been  counted  on  one 
occasion  waiting  on  the  horse,  and  looking  at  it  with 
hawks'  eyes  as  it  came  out  for  exercise.  A  tout  told 
the  trainer  that  he  had  orders  to  watch  the  horse 
come  out  of  its  stable,  and  not  to  leave  the  ground  till 
it  went  back.  'When  Bill  Scot  (the  famous  jockey) 
lived  near  Knavesmire,  his  motions,  whenever  a  trial 
at  Malton  was  about  to  come  off",  used  to  be  watched 
night  and  day.  It  was  nearly  impossible  for  him  to 
steal  away  from  York  at  any  time  without  having 
them  on  his  track.' 

Another  reminiscence  given  by  the  '  Druid '  tells  us 
that  at  one  of  the  Yorkshire  training  towns  a  school- 
master commenced  as  prophet  to  a  London  paper, 
and  in  the  sequel  it  appeared  that  he  had  got  all  his 
information  by  writing  letters  for  touts  between  school- 
hours.  As  showing  the  ingenuity  of  the  touts,  it  has 
been  told  that  one  of  them,  disguised  as  a  drover, 
obtained  valuable  racing  information  from  a  trades- 
man employed  upon  a  job  at  one  of  the  Newmarket 
racing-stables.  The  place  was  a  public-house,  and 
over  a  can  of  ale  the  painter  said  that  a  certain  horse 


TOUTS  AND  TIPSTERS.  129 

which  he  described  had  walked,  being  quite  Lame,  from 
one  box  to  another:  '  It  had  two  white  heels,'  said  the 
painter.  That  bit  of  information  was  worth  a  good 
sum  of  money  to  the  tout. 

An  anecdote  was  printed  some  years  ago  detailing 
how  a  warder  in  one  of  the  big  prisons,  who  had  under 
his  charge  the  'ne'er-do-well'  son  of  a  trainer,  spent 
his  holiday  near  Newmarket  with  friends  of  the  con- 
vict, who  by  way  of  getting  him  favoured  let  the 
official  into  two  or  three  good  things,  by  which  he 
made  a  sum  of  money  sufficient  to  buy  the  goodwill 
of  a  public-house  which  had  for  a  long  time  been  the 
object  of  his  ambition,  as  he  had  become  heartily  tired 
of  prison  life.  A  bolder  game  was  played  by  a  tout 
who,  obtaining  the  use  of  a  constable's  uniform,  told  a 
trainer  that  he  had  come  down  from  London  to  tell 
him  that  two  noted  characters  had  left  for  Newmarket 
on  some  evil  mission.  The  supposed  constable,  who 
had  come  from  Berkshire,  was  hospitably  entertained 
and  rewarded,  but  what  was  of  greater  importance  to 
him,  he  learned  a  stable  secret  that  he  could  not  other- 
wise have  penetrated.  It  was  a  clever  dodge  success- 
fully executed. 

The  expense  incurred  by  the  newspapers  of  the 
period  in  the  purveying  of  tips  and  racing  intelligence 
runs  undoubtedly  in  the  course  of  the  year  into  a 
large  sum  of  money.  Every  daily  newspaper  of  any 
consequence  keeps  a  '  tipster,'  or  racing  commentator, 
his  duty  being  to  give  once  a  week  a  good  long  review 
of  tlie  past  week's  racing,  and  also  to  take  a  prophetic 
glance  at  the  forthcoming  meetings.     The  cost  of  the 

9 


I30  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

sporting  element  will   not  per1ia]:)s  be  less — perhaps 
more — than  £1,000  a  year. 

Sporting  writers  have  a  hard  task  set  them.  They 
are  expected  to  be  '  there  or  thereabouts '  on  the  occa- 
sion of  every  great  race,  and  many  of  them  are  called 
upon  to  give  ;'ips  for  the  smaller  everj^-day  contests 
as  well,  so  that  upon  occasions,  such  as  in  Whitsun 
Week,  when  there  may  be  something  like  ten  or  a 
dozen  meetings,  their  resources  are  taxed  to  the  utter- 
most; and  they  must,  too,  be  on  their  mettle,  for  at 
these  holiday- meetings  there  are  thousands  of  people 
who  look  to  them  for  guidance  and  instruction  in 
making  their  bets.  Tipsters  on  such  occasions  are 
expected  to  work  miracles  on  behalf  of  their  clients, 
and  should  they  fail  to  name  the  winners  of  at  least 
two  in  every  three  races,  they  are  stigmatized  as  hum- 
bugs not  worth  following.  Yet  how  is  a  tipster  to 
perform  what  is  expected  of  him  ?  In  many  cases  ho 
has  only  the  public  form  of  the  horses  to  guide  him, 
he  is  ignorant  of  the  intentions  of  owners,  and  till  the 
last  moment  '  there  is  no  market '  to  show  how  the 
cat  intends  to  jump.  No  wonder  it  so  often  happens 
that  '  the  tipsters  are  floored  to  a  man.'  Tried  by  the 
results  of  their  tips,  tipsters  as  a  rule  are  a  failure.  Not 
that  they  do  not  on  occasion  make  a  palpable  hit, 
selecting  sometimes  two  out  of  the  first  three  in  a  great 
handicap,  but  they  don't  pay  to  follow  systematically. 
That  being  so,  it  is  not  a  little  wonderful  that  their 
'vaticinations,'  as  they  call  their  writings,  continue  to 
be  so  anxiously  looked  for  and  eagerly  read.  Anyone 
desirous  of  backing  horses  for  particular  races  may 
easily  discover  for  him.self  all   that  is  known  about 


TOUTS  AND  TIPSTERS.  131 

the  animal  from  'the  book' — i.e.,  one  or  other  of  tho 
annual  or  weekly  turf-guides  now  so  numerous. 

The  performances  of  each  horse  are  set  down  with 
great  accuracy  in  these  repositories  of  turf  knowledge, 
and  for  a  few  pence  or  a  shilling  or  two  they  are  open 
to  all,  so  that  there  is  nothing  to  prevent  a  man  from 
becoming  his  own  tipster.  There  are,  of  course,  occa- 
sions when  '  the  book  is  a  lie,'  and  therefore  of  no  use, 
when  a  horse  that  has  been  running  badly  suddenly 
recovers  its  form  and  improves  all  at  once  some  sixteen 
or  twenty-eight  pounds.  No  wonder,  when  such  re- 
surrections take  place,  the  anxious  prophets  find  them- 
selves '  down  in  the  dirt.'  Even  tipsters  who  supply 
a  dozen  papers,  and  give  a  different  winner  in  each, 
are  often  on  such  occasions  ignominiously  '  floored.' 
On  some  days  the  followers  of  a  tipster  may  be  for- 
tunate, and  back  perhaps  five  out  of  seven  of  the 
winning  horses  in  that  day's  racing,  at  such  odds  a,s 
are  now  allocated  to  the  persons  who  do  their  business 
at  what  is  called  '  starting  price,'  which  many  people  say 
is  the  price  '  arranged  '  by  certain  persons  who,  being 
themselves  extensive  layers  of  the  odds,  put  the  figures 
at  a  point  that  will  save  their  own  pockets.  Be  that, 
however,  as  it  may,  backers  of  any  particular  man's  tips 
are  sure  to  come  to  grief,  despite  such  brief  glimpses 
of  sunshine  as  they  may  occasionally  experience. 

How  is  it,  will  be  asked  by  those  who  study  the 
racing  news  given  in  the  daily  papers,  that  tipsters 
occasionally  perpetrate  such  egregious  b hinders  by 
selecting  horses  to  win  that  in  the  end  are  nearer  last 
than  first  ?  Take  the  case  of  the  Oaks  a  few  years  ago, 
when  awell-knowu  special  correspondent  of  a  sporting 

9—2 


132  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OE  THE  TURF. 

newspaper  Avas  afforded  an  opportunity  of  looking  over 
most  of  the  competitors,  more  especially  the  mare 
which  won  and  the  one  which  was  second  in  the  race. 
But  as  he  did  not  fix  on  either  aniimd  as  the  likely 
winner,  the  question  may  fairly  be  asked,  how  he  failed 
to  do  so.  Like  all  the  other  tipsters  on  that  occasion, 
he  prophesied  that  the  favourite  would  win,  and  never 
so  much  as  gave  a  word  to  the  winner.  The  favourite 
had  doubtless  that  best  of  all  recommendations — the 
best  public  form.  But  the  public  do  not  require  the 
services  of  a  '  special '  correspondent  to  tell  them  that 
the  horse  possessing  the  best  public  form,  and  standing 
in  the  betting  list  at  the  shortest  price,  is  the  one  that 
(on  paper)  seems  most  likely  to  win  the  race.  As  the 
saying  goes,  '  any  fool  can  follow  the  money,'  and  it 
certainly  needs  no  tipster  to  '  spot '  the  favourite. 
What  a  backer  of  horses  stands  in  need  of,  but  what 
he  is  never  likely  to  get,  is  a  person  who  on  looking 
over  a  lot  of  horses  will  point  out  the  one  which,  all 
being  fair  and  square,  should  win  the  race.  Jenny 
Howlet  started  at  a  very  long  price  fur  the  Oaks. 
Why  ?  Because  none  of  the  tipsters  tipped  her.  Why 
not  ?  Why  not,  indeed !  Several  events  could  be 
easily  recalled  on  which  the  most  wonderful  prophetic 
unanimity  was  exerted  in  vain,  as,  for  instance,  the 
Royal  Hunt  Cup  of  1880,  when  the  prophets  were 
floored  to  a  man  over  Ruperra. 

Many  other  examples  of  tips  which  have  been  igno- 
miniously  wide  of  the  mark  during  the  last  seven  years 
might  be  culled  from  racing  newspapers  or  from  the 
prints  which  deal  in  sporting  intelligence.  If  some  of 
the   tipsters   would    only   condescend   to   give   their 


TOUTS  AND  TIPSTERS.  133 

selections  minus  their  reasons  for  giving  them,  they 
might,  perhaps,  be  thought  sensible  writers,  even 
when  their  prophecies  come  to  grief.  Imagine  a 
tipster  who  would  not  entertain  the  chance  of  Robert 
the  Devil  for  the  St.  Leger  because  in  his  opinion  '  the 
horse  could  not  stay '!  Could  not  stay,  and  yet  that 
horse  was  only  beaten  for  the  Derby  by  Bend  Or  b}^, 
perhaps,  ten  inches,  and  afterwards  won  the  Grand 
Prize  of  Paris  over  a  greater  distance  than  the  St. 
Leger  is  run  over !  A  tipster  fortunate  enough 
to  select  Buchanan  for  the  Lincoln  Handicap  led 
his  followers  an  expensive  dance  by  continually 
selecting  throughout  the  3'car  horses  from  the  same 
stable  to  win  the  important  races  of  the  season. 
That  tipster,  at  the  close  of  flat  racing,  was  '  nowhere ' 
among  his  fellows.  Many  turf  writers  imagine  that, 
because  a  stable  begins  well,  its  good  fortune  is  sure 
to  continue  throughout  the  season  ;  but  it  is  an  idea 
which  very  often  brings  those  who  believe  in  it  to  a 
condition  of  financial  grief.  It  is  scarcely  worth  while 
to  occupy  space  with  the  failures  of  tipsters,  they  are 
so  numerous,  but  a  few  samples  ma}^  be  given.  A  pro- 
fessional tipster  wrote  as  follows  of  the  Kempton  Park 
November  Handicap  of  27th  November,  18S0  :  'As  to 
the  bottom-weights,  the  Irish-bred  animals  Whist  and 
Beauchamp  II.  [the  Avinner  !],  they  cannot  go  fast 
enough  to  keep  themselves  warm.'  These  remarks 
actually  appeared  in  a  paper  having  on  its  staff  two 
sporting  writers,  which  was  issued  on  the  morning  of 
the  race,  and  in  which  the  scribe  wrote  of  a  horse 
which  had  been  '  scr.itched '  some  days  previously  as 
if  it  were  still  in  the  race.     Some  years  since  thero 


134  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

was  groat  fun  over  a  tip  for  the  Grand  National 
Steeplechase,  A  well-known  writer  on  turf  matters 
said  he  would  eat  a  certain  horse  if  it  won  the  race, 
and  he  was  in  the  fulness  of  time  put  to  shame  by 
its  victory.  That  tipster,  as  may  well  be  supposed, 
was  most  unmercifull}'  chaffed. 

It  may  be  accepted  as  a  rule  that  public  tipsters 
*  follow  the  money  '  in  making  their  selections,  or,  at 
all  events,  select  horses  which  are  sure  to  be  backed 
and  in  time  settle  down  as  favourites.  It  has  been 
affirmed  by  some  persons  of  certain  tipsters,  that  they 
write  in  the  interest  of  bookmakers,  and  give  horse 
after  horse  that  has  no  chance  of  winning,  so  that 
infatuated  turf  gamblers  may  back  them.  These 
writers  have  plenty  of  time  to  do  so,  as  in  many  cases 
the  race  is  not  run  for  several  weeks  after  the  entries 
are  published.  Such  accusations,  however,  must  be 
received  with  the  proverbial  pinch  of  salt ;  but 
probably,  from  the  persistent  way  in  which  they  are 
reiterated,  there  is  more  than  a  grain  of  truth  in 
them. 

With  what  a  wonderful  scream  of  delight  some 
hysterical  members  of  the  sporting  press  rend  the  air 
when  they  are  so  fortunate  as  to  find  themselves 
correct  in  naming  the  winner  of  an  important  handi- 
cap or  some  classic  race.  Be  sure,  in  such  an  event, 
that  in  the  next  number  of  their  journal  they  will  fill 
nearly  a  column  by  quoting  every  favourable  line 
they  have  written  about  the  horse  since  it  made  its 
first  appearance  on  the  turf  Upon  one  occasion,  the 
editor  of  a  weekly  sporting  jor.rnal  had  the  impudence 
to  propose  that  his  readers  should  subscribe  to  present 


TOUTS  AND  TIPSTERS.  135 

a  testimonial  to  his  Newmarket  tout  because  he  had 
been  so  fortunate  as  to  predict  the  winner  of  one  of 
the  classic  races !  Lut,  really,  there  was  no  merit  in 
his  doing  so;  other  touts  selected  the  sam.e  animal, 
but  refrained  from  crowing  over  their  feat.  The  tout 
now  alhided  to  writes  upon  occasion  as  if  he  were 
infallible ;  in  reality,  he  selects  as  few  winners  as  most 
of  his  kind,  and  it  is  instructive  to  look  back  upon 
what  he  hrfe  Avrittcn — after  the  event.  It  was  amusing 
to  find  this  great  horse-watcher,  when  it  was  necessary 
to  give  a  tip  for  the  Cesarevvitch  of  1881,  saying, 
'  They  may  back  Robert  the  Devil  that  please,  but  I 
shall  stand  Big  Jemima!'  Of  course  he  was  'not  in 
it  that  time,'  and  when  the  race  was  run  there  were 
no  jubilant  quotations  from  former  articles,  pointing 
out  the  winner.  With  regard  to  the  '  classic  races,' 
as  they  are  called,  there  is  no  merit  in  selecting  one 
or  two  of  the  best  two-year-olds  to  win  the  Two 
Thousand  Guineas,  nor  is  there  much  merit  to  be 
accorded  to  the  tipster  who  selects  the  winner  of  the 
Two  Thousand  Guineas  to  win  the  Derby,  should 
that  horse  be  entered  to  take  part  in  the  race. 

Besides  the  newspaper  men,  whose  doings  in  tipping 
have  just  been  reviewed,  there  are  the  circular  men, 
who  publish  weekly  sheets  containing  notes  on  past 
and  forthcoming  events,  as  also  a  programme  of  the 
coming  races,  each  horse  having  a  number  attached  to 
it,  so  that  it  can  be  referred  to  in  an  advertisement. 
There  are  at  least  half  a  dozen  such  circulars  of  a  re- 
putable kind  among  turf-men,  as  '  Locket's,'  '  Judex's,' 
*  Mentor's,'  etc.  There  are  also  some  of  another  kind, 
which  need  scarcely  be  further  noticed ;  it  is  so  easy  for 


135  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

an  adventurer  who  can  command  a  couple  of  pounds 
to  set  himself  up  as  a  guide  to  backers  of  horses. 
]\[any  such  are  now  at  work  ;  they  generally  last  for  a' 
few  weeks  and  then  break  down.  As  a  rule  they  are 
persistent  liars,  and  know  as  much  about  horses  as 
they  do  about  herrings.  There  is  a  knave  of  the  kmd. 
who  is  constantly  obtruding  his  mondacions  advertise- 
ments on  turf-men,  always  saying  that  his  success  is 
enormous,  that  his  subscription-list  is  full,  but  that  for 
the  small  sum  of  Hvc  shillings  he  will  give  a  few  more 
persons  the  benefit  of  '  his  own  exclusive  information,' 
as  well  as  let  them  share  in  the  knowledge  of  the 
gentlemen  who  write  to  him  from  the  various  training 
quarters.  Tempted  to  send  your  five  shillings  for  that 
particular 'circular,'  you  find  it  is  a  fraud  :  there  is 
nothing  in  it  but  what  may  be  found  in  the  Sporting 
Chronicle,  StanJard,  or  Daily  Tdcgimph.  In  ten 
days  or  so  '  the  witch  '  writes  you  in  piteous  terms  to 
add  another  half-crown  to  your  subscription.  '  You 
Avill  never  regret  doing  so,'  you  are  told ;  '  there  is 
something  to  come  for  the  back-end  handicaps  that 
will  prove  a  fortune  to  all  who  subscribe  to  the  Witch 
of  Endor.'  I  wrote  for  the  circular  just  to  test  it, 
and  of  course  found  it  to  be  worthless.  Some  of  the 
more  dishonest  of  the  tout  fraternity,  in  their  despera- 
tion to  make  a  living  at  the  business,  claim  every  now 
and  then  to  have  spotted  nearly  every  winner  at  some 
particular  meeting ;  in  proof  of  which  assertion  they 
offer  to  send  back  numbers  of  their  circulars  to  be  ex- 
amined by  intending  subscribers,  and  in  more  than  one 
instance  such  persons  have  reprinted  some  of  their 
'  back   numbers '   with  no  end  of  winning  tips.     By 


TOUTS  AND  TIPSTERS.  137 

such  means  flocks  of  fresli  gulls  are  obtained  and 
the  purses  of  the  tipsters  tilled.  But  b}^  several  of 
the  circular  men  subscribers  are  dealt  with  in  an 
honest  spirit,  and  really  receive  something  like  value 
for  the  two  guineas,  wliich  is  the  cost  of  the  sub- 
scription. Besides  those  which  have  been  alluded 
to,  there  is  a  perfect  host  of  miscellaneous  and  '  fancy' 
tipsters,  always  at  work  struggling  to  earn  '  an  honest 
penny  '  throughout  the  racing  year. 

There  are  still  a  few  of  this  class  living  who 
occasionally  resort  to  these  old-fashioned  methods  of 
bleeding  the  credulous  ;  but  the  average  backer  of 
horses  is  too  wide  awake  to  fall  readily  into  such 
meshes.  As  has  already  been  hinted,  the  daily  news- 
papers and  the  journals  specially  devoted  to  the  turf, 
with  their  prophecies  of  the  winners  of  races  to  come, 
their  full  reports  of  races  past,  and  their  columns  of 
training  intelligence,  keep  those  persons  who  back 
horses  fully  up  to  the  mark  as  to  what  is  doing.  They 
at  least  provide  backers  with  the  means  of  forming 
their  own  opinions ;  whilst,  as  has  been  stated,  some 
•  backers  keep  a  tout  of  their  own,  or,  at  any  rate, 
receive  special  reports  from  a  tout,  so  determined  are 
they  to  make  money  at  the  game,  which  all  who  have 
tried  it  will  confess  to  be  a  rather  difficult  task.  Two 
or  three  of  the  fraternity  indicated  above,  who  stuck  to 
one  horse  only,  were  rather  successful  in  their  pro- 
phecies. Nor  did  they  follow  the  money.  '  A  country 
gentleman  in  temporary  ditliculties  '  sent  Kingcraft 
for  the  Derby  of  1870,  and  Favonius  in  the  year 
following.  In  the  year  18G2,  one  of  the  advertizing 
tipsters  gave  Caractacus  as  the  dream  of  his  little  girl, 


138  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

who,  althongli  blind,  savo  the  horse  win  with  a  hoy  on 
his  back  as  pale  as  death,  A  person  who  had  a  secret 
of  the  turf  in  his  possession,  and  who  posed  as  an  old 
railway-guard,  sent  Doncaster  to  all  his  inquirers,  as 
certain  to  win  both  the  Derby  and  the  St.  Leger — not 
a  bad  tip,  certainly,  seeing  that  the  horse  started  at 
the  remunerative  odds  of  40  to  1  for  the  Derby,  and 
won  the  race,  while  for  the  St.  Leger  he  was  second  to 
his  stable  companion,  Marie  Stuart.  It  is  a  curious 
fact  of  tipping  and  touting  that  greenhorns,  who  ex- 
pend a  shilling  or  two  in  the  way  indicated,  have 
often  on  their  tirst  trial  backed  a  winner. 

With  his  more  than  thirty  3^ears'  experience  of 
tipsters  and  their  work  the  writer  is  well  warranted 
in  saying  '  they  are  a  failure.'  This  is  susceptible  of 
easy  proof.  There  is,  for  instance,  a  persistent  bouncer 
in  the  line  who  advertises  that  last  year  he  absolutely 
gave  over  GoO  winners  ;  but  as  racing  goes  on  for  over 
250  days  of  the  year,  and  seven  races  on  the  average 
are  run  each  day  (on  some  days  there  are  three  or 
four  meetings  going  on),  it  is  clear  enough  that  his 
winners  would  not  anything  like  balance  his  losers; 
as  a  matter  of  fact,  this  man's  tips,  like  the  production 
of  Shakespeare  at  Drury  Lane,  spelt  'ruin'  through- 
out the  year.  This  tipster,  at  the  time  this  book  was 
in  process  of  printing,  gave  31  horses  for  one  day's 
racing  (three  meetings),  and  out  of  the  lot  he  found 
three  winners— one  at  7  to  1,  another  was  an  even 
money  chance,  whilst  the  other  started  at  odds  on  ! 
But  at  the  close  of  the  season  this  man  will  probably 
be  shouting  with  all  his  might  that  he  has  800  winners 
to  his  credit  for  the  season !     After  all,  the  eccentric 


TOUTS  AND  TIPSTERS.  139 

person  was  right  who  said  that  any  sign  of  the 
morning  that  could  by  any  process  of  twisting  be 
brought  to  bear  on  any  of  the  racing  events  iixed  for 
that  day,  was  just  as  good  as  a  half-crown  tip  from  a 
professional  tout.  In  this  category  comes  the  story 
of  the  man  who,  finding  that  he  had  come  into  his 
place  of  business  on  a  Derby  morning  riding  on  the 
knife-board  of  a  '  Favourite '  omnibus,  accepted  the 
circumstance  as  of  good  omen,  putting  therefore  a 
fiver  on  the  horse  that  had  been  made  favourite,  and 
winning  his  money ! 

If  those  who  tvill  back  horses  could  first  get  a 
glimpse  of  the  persons  and  surroundings  of  some  of 
the  beer-swilling  and  gin-consuming  prophets  to  whom 
they  entrust  their  shillings,  they  would  at  once  be 
convinced  they  would  serve  their  purpose  as  well  by 
putting  the  names  of  the  horses  in  a  hat  and  backing 
the  one  they  might  first  happen  to  draw  from  it. 

The  hack-tipster,  as  a  rule,  is  an  abject  follower  of 
*  the  money,'  and  although  some  of  the  band  deny 
that  this  mode  of  tipping  is  adopted  by  them,  they 
unwittingly  let  the  cat  out  of  the  bag  in  such  phrases 
as,  '  with  no  market  to  guide  us,'  '  but  as  the  horse  has 
not  yet  been  backed,  it  would  be  unsafe  to  select  him, 
etc.,  etc.  In  fact,  there  are  no  tipsters  who  can  honestly 
tip  on  any  other  system.  When  a  horse  wins  a  popular 
handicap,  starting  at  the  liberal  odds  of  .50  or  66  to  1, 
the  chances  are  that  its  name  has  never  been  men- 
tioned by  any  of  the  tipping  fraternity  as  being  a  likely 
winner,  and  on  such  occasions,  as  the  phrase  goes, '  the 
prophets  are  floored  to  a  man.'  Why,  then,  are  there 
prophets,  and  where  there  are  any,  of  what  use  are  they  ? 


I40  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

Bouncing  tipstors  who  so  confidently  and  loudly 
assert  that  they  do  not  follow  the  money  manage  matters 
in  this  way:  When  the  weights  for  a  popular  handicap 
are  published,  they  preliminarily  select  ten  or  a  dozen 
horses  in  stables  which  are  sure  to  be  followed,  and  in 
due  course  backed  by  the  public ;  then  when  the  time 
comes  at  which  they  must  bind  themselves  down  to  a 
specific  selection,  they  name  three  out  of  the  lot  they 
had  previously  fixed  upon,  probably  stating  at  the  same 
time,  '  In  selecting  these  three  for  win  and  places,  we 
cannot  be  accused  of  following  the  money,  because,  as 
our  readers  will  probably  remember,  we  took  them  on 
our  side  immediately  the  weights  were  published,  and 
before  there  was  any  betting  on  the  race.' 

Weak-kneed  bettors,  with  more  money  than  brains, 
lean  on  certain  tipsters  with  a  surprising  degree  of 
reliance,  considering  how  often  they  must  be  dis- 
appointed. As  already  stated,  many  of  the  principal 
newspapers  of  the  day  keep  a  tipster  for  the  benefit  of 
tlieir  sporting  readers,  and  pay  a  large  sum  of  money 
annually  for  racing  information.  The  business  of 
supplying  the  London  and  provincial  journals  with 
these  tips  and  that  kind  of  information  is  mainly  at 
present  in  the  hands  of  one  gentleman,  who,  after  pay- 
ing his  assistants,  must  derive  from  his  labours  a 
very  handsome  income  indeed,  as  matter  of  the  kind 
is  paid  for  at  a  high  rate. 

Ne¥/  modes  of  distributing  tips  are  every  now  and 
again  adopted  ;  in  several  cities  and  towns  the  selec- 
tions of  men  who  are  supposed  to  be  able  to  'spot' 
three  or  four  winners  every  day  will  be  found  on  sale 
at  places  appointed  about  noon.     These  are  largely  ia 


TOUTS  AND  TIPSTERS.  141 

demand,  at  prices  ranging  from  threepence  to  a 
shilling,  according  to  the  number  of  prophecies  given 
or  the  celebrity  of  the  tipster.  '  Paddock  wires,' 
*  Special  knowledge  telegrams,'  '  Latest  information,' 
and  several  other  varieties  of  the  modern  tipster's  art 
can  be  obtained  at  prices  suitable  even  to  *  leanly 
furnished  purses.'  The  anxious  inquirer  after  winners 
can  also  communicate  direct  with  distant  touts  by 
paying  for  their  reply — the  payment  of  a  fee  being  as 
a  matter  of  course  included  in  the  remittance.  Tips 
for  the  day's  races  are  now  often  hawked  about  the 
streets  at  the  price  of  a  penny  or  twopence,  and,  as 
all  who  frequent  racecourses  know,  tipsters  are  rapidly 
becoming  a  nuisance,  but  the  work  is  remunerative. 
One  of  the  fraternity  told  the  writer  at  a  recent  meeting 
that  he  could  sell  every  day  thirty  or  forty  marked 
cards  to  '  the  swells  '  at  a  '  bob  '  (Is  )  each,  and  eighty, 
or  perliaps  a  hundred,  at  sixpence  apiece  ;  '  but  then 
you  know,  sir,  I  has  all  them  cards  to  pay  for,  and 
that  takes  some  of  the  gilding  off  the  cake,  I  can  tell 
you.' 


'THE  FRENCH  YEAR,'  1865. 

In  1865  tlie  name  of  the  horse  which  won  the  Derby 
had  not  an  Enghsh  sound ;  it  was  Gladiateur,  Avho,  in 
presence  of  the  much-mobbed  Prince  of  Wales,  gained 
the  verdict  of  the  judge,  and  earned  the  '  Blue  Ribbon 
of  the  Turf,'  having  behind  him  as  he  galloped  past 
the  winning-post  twenty-nine  opponents.  The  victory 
of  tlie  French  horse  will  be  long  remembered  by  those 
who  saw  it.  The  success  of  Gladiateur — it  is  now 
twenty-five  years  since  it  Avas  obtained — was  not  un- 
attended by  incidents  of  a  sensational  kind,  which 
may  be  briefly  noted  for  the  information  of  those  who 
know  nothing  about  them.  A  hundred  stories,  in- 
deed, might  be  related  about  the  victory  of  Gladiateur, 
which  afforded  a  subject  of  talk  for  many  months  to 
the  turf-men  of  the  time. 

It  was  doubtless  a  veritable  triumph  for  Franco  to 
beat  us  at  our  own  game,  and  on  our  own  ground;  but 
we  had  our  revenge  in  the  Grand  Prix.  As  has  been 
hinted,  there  was  much  said  during  the  French  year, 
and  much  of  what  was  said  has  been  exaggerated  in  the 
chronicling.  There  was  certainly,  as  has  been  again 
and  again  asserted,  no  consuming  desire  among  British 
sportsmen  to  see  the  French  horse  beaten ;  nor  has  it 


*  THE  FRENCH  YEAR;  1865.  143 

ever  been  proved  that  any  unfair  means  were  resorted 
to  to  stop  the  animal  from  winning.  There  are 
persons  who  rejoice,  no  doubt,  to  see  the  downfall  of  a 
favourite  brought  about;  but  with  these  it  is  no  ques- 
tion of  nationality;  they  would  as  soon  'nobble'  an 
English  race-horse  as  a  French  one.  There  may  have 
been  a  feeling  of  soreness,  but  it  was  certainly  not 
apparent  at  Epsom ;  for  as  the  horse  came  back, 
bearing  his  victorious  rider  to  the  scales,  guarded  by 
Inspector  Tanner,  cheer  upon  cheer  was  given  in  the 
heartiest  manner.  Count  de  Lngrange,  the  owner, 
Avas  warmly  coni^ratulated  by  the  noblemen  and 
gentlemen  present,  and  by  none  more  warmly  than  by 
that  best  of  English  gentlemen,  the  Prince  of  Wales, 
who  took  a  deep  interest  in  the  race.  So  far,  then,  as 
outwaid  show  was  concerned,  there  seemed  no  fly  in 
the  Count's  pot  of  ointment ;  and  as  regards  the 
honours  of  horse-racing,  he  had  every  reason  to  be 
satisfied,  inasmuch  as  he  had  in  the  preceding  year 
secured  the  'Garter  of  the  Turf  with  Fille  de  I'Air, 
whilst  the  Two  Thousand  Guineas  had  fallen  to  him 
by  the  prowess  of  the  horse  he  had  just  led  in  at 
Epsom,  a  Cambridgeshire  and  a  Goodwood  cup 
having  previously  rewarded  his  enterprise.  Many  an 
English  geutleraan.  after  a  lonc^  strui^orle,  has  at  lensfth 
retired  from  the  turf  without  even  taking  one  of  these 
important  races. 

The  ])recautions  which  for  the  first  time  were  taken 
by  the  Epsom  authorities  to  prevent  any  fraud  being 
perpetrated  may  be  here  recited  from  a  sporting 
chronicle  of  the  period  :  '  Between  the  preceding  race 
and  the  race  for  the  Derby  an  interval  of  an  hour  was 


144  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

allowed  fur  the  necessary  preliminaries,  which,  on  the 
present  occasion,  included  a  new  feature,  by  special 
order  of  the  stewards,  so  as  to  guard  against  any  foul 
play  or  chicanery  respecting  short  weights,  which — it 
is  a  common  talk  in  sporting  circ^.^es  — more  than  one 
winner  of  the  Derby  was  supposed  to  have  carried 
within  the  previous  thirty  years  !  The  weighing  was 
conducted  with  scrupulous  minuteness,  the  saddle, 
bridle,  and  all  the  other  riding  paraphernalia  being 
privately  marked,  and  weighed  separately  from  the 
jockey,  whose  bodily  vveight  was  also  registered,  after 
which  he  was  weighed  with  his  '  gear  '  in  the  aggregate  ; 
and  to  guard  against  the  slightest  deception,  a  body  of 
mounted  police  had  orders  to  escort  the  winner  back 
to  the  Stand,  where  a  detective  would  superintend  the 
unsaddling,  and  conduct  the  jockey  to  the  scale — a 
very  proper  precaution,  it  will  be  admitted  on  all  hands, 
but  affording  sad  cause  for  reflection  that  the  whole 
system  of  racing  has  become  so  foul  as  to  necessi- 
tate it.' 

No  sooner  had  the  race  been  run  than  stories  of 
many  kinds  were  set  afloat  as  to  the  money  that  had 
been  won  and  lost.  In  the  winnings  the  stake  netted 
must,  of  course,  claim  a  place  ;  the  purse  taken  by 
Gladiateur  contained  the  handsome  total  of  £6,875, 
whilst  the  Count  was  enabled  to  claim  from  the  ring 
the  sum  of  about  £40,000,  his  trainer  also  winning  a 
o-ood  amount — £13,000,  it  was  stated;  Count  de  La- 
o-rauf^es  commissioner  won  about  as  much,  whilst  a 
considerable  number  oC  persons  were  known  to  '  land  ' 
from  £2,000  to  £10,000  over  the  victory  of  Gladiateur, 
who,  as   may  be  surmised    from  the   short   price  at 


^  THE  FRENCH  YEAR;  1S65.  145 

which  ho  started,  was  hirgely  backed  by  the  public. 
Three  of  the  Liri;er  bookmakers,  it  was  said  at  the 
time,  would  have,  at  least,  to  pay  between  them 
£100,000.  The  placed  horses  were  each  well  backed 
for  a  *  shop,'  which  they  obtained,  Mr.  Robinson,  in 
particular,  pocketing  £3,000  or  £-i,000  in  virtue  of  Lis 
horse — Eltham  gaining  third  position  in  the  race. 
Some  of  the  more  astute  Frenchmen  backed  Gontran 
to  win  the  French  Derby,  and  Gladiateur  to  win  the 
Derby  of  Epsom,  and  had  the  good  fortune  to  pocket 
considerable  sums  in  consequence.  Not  a  few  curious 
stories  have  been  told  of  the  betting  incidents  of  the 
race  won  by  the  French  horse.  One  is  told  of  an 
irate  old  Colonel  who  drcAV  Gladiateur  in  his  club 
sweepstakes ;  but  as  he  could  not  believe  in  the  pos- 
sibility of  a  French  horse  winning  our  greatest  English 
race,  he  prevailed  on  a  member  of  the  club  to  exchange 
tickets  with  him.  Curiously  enough,  the  member  in 
question  had  himself  drawn  Breadalbane,  but  had 
been  persuaded  by  a  fellow-member,  who  had  a  strong 
fancy  for  that  particular  horse,  to  take  Christmas 
Carol  in  lieu  of  it ;  that  ticket  for  Christmas  Carol  he 
now  passed  to  the  prejudiced  old  officer,  in  exchange 
for  Gladiateur,  thereby  winning  the  first  prize  of  £100, 
the  Colonel  having,  of  course,  to  put  up  with  the 
second  prize  of  £40,  as  the  reward  of  his  unbelief  and 
prejudice. 

Many  friends  of  Count  Lagrange  showed  their  faith 
in  the  French  horse  by  backing  it  to  win  them  pretty 
big  sums  of  money,  which,  as  he  failed  to  win  both  the 
Prendergast  and  Criterion  Stakes,  they  were  enabled  to 
do  at  somewhat  long  prices,  those  of  them  who  were 

10 


146  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

prudent  afterwards  hedging-  when  his  victory  in  the 
Two  Thousand  had  brought  him  to  short  odds.  At 
one  time  in  the  course  of  the  winter  preceding  the 
Derby  '  any  odds  '  might  have  been  obtained  against 
Gladiateur.  A  London  wine-merchant,  or  rather 
'gigantic  pubhcan,'  founded  his  future  on  a  triple- 
event  bet,  laid  him  by  a  bookmaker  who  frequented 
his  pailour,  against  the  French  horse  winning  the 
three  classic  races.  The  bet  laid  was  £2,400  to  a  case 
of  champagne,  and  was  duly  paid  on  the  Saturday 
following  the  St.  Leger,  the  wine  being  consumed 
along  with  a  huge  pile  of  anchovy  toast  at  the  same 
time.  When  the  bet  was  made  it  was  thouglit  the 
French  horse  would  prove  to  be  an  impostor ;  and  Lid- 
dington  was  first  favourite  for  both  races,  wliile 
Broomielaw  and  Breadalbane,  for  which  Mr.  Chaplin 
gave  £11,000,  were  each  quoted  at  short  prices,  the 
former  at  8  to  1  for  the  Guineas,  the  latter  at  the 
same  figure  for  the  Derby. 

The  following  account  of  the  race  is  from  the  pen 
of  a  competent  turf-reporter  who  was  present  at 
Epsom  on  the  occasion :  After  fully  half  an  ho.ur 
had  been  expended  in  several  breaks-away,  the  flag 
at  length  fell  at  a  favourable  moment,  so  that  a  good 
beginning  was  ensured.  It  is  hardly  necessary  per- 
haps to  say  that  all  had  been  on  the  tiptoe  of  expec- 
tation, some,  indeed,  on  the  rack,  during  the  five  or  six 
false  starts  that  had  taken  place.  Popular  feeling,  in 
fact,  was  at  white  heat,  the  vast  concourse  of  spectators 
who  were  looking  on  seeming  to  have  but  one  heart 
and  one  head.  The  starter,  whose  every  movement 
"was  keenly  watched  and  criticised,  had  evidently  re- 


'  THE  FRENCH  YEAR;  iS6<;,  147 

solved  to  do  his  very  best  to  ensure  that  there  would 
be  no  complauit  from  either  owners  or  the  public,  and 
he  certainly  succeeded,  as  was  afterwards  universally 
admitted.  The  winner  was  in  no  way  favoured,  al- 
though, as  may  be  well  supposed,  there  were  not  want- 
ing those  who  if  they  could  would  have  favoured  some 
of  the  English  horses.  Wild  Charley,  Mr.  Merry's 
horse,  was  first  off,  but  was  at  once  held  back  by  his 
jockey,  and,  ilhistrating  the  proverb,  was  almost  the 
last  horse  in  the  race  when  the  moment  arrived  for 
judgment  to  be  recorded.  Almost  from  the  start  the 
horses  were  so  crowded  too^ether  that  some  of  them 
could  not  act.  Tilt  v/as  seen  in  front  till  the  mile- 
post  was  reached,  and  then  Eltham,  running  vigorously, 
got  his  head  in  front  and  still  further  improved  the 
pace.  After  passing  the  mile-post  a  'scrimmage'  took 
place  among  the  second  lot  in  the  race ;  some  of  the 
jockeys  in  consequence  using  language  to  each  other 
that  was  more  forcible  than  polite.  In  the  melee 
Wild  Charley  was  greatly  interfered  with,  and  was 
actually  at  one  place  carried  off  his  feet,  and  when 
released  from  his  awkward  position  stumbled  upon 
Archimedes,  who  in  turn  canoned  against  Gladiateur, 
and  so  much  imperilled  his  chance  for  the  moment 
that  Grimshaw  (his  jockey)  was  compelled  to  pull  him 
short  up,  which  in  turn  interfered  with  Longdown. 
Toddlcben  and  Braham  were  now  brought  to  the  front 
by  their  jockeys,  and  ran  well  among  the  horses  that 
were  leading.  By  the  time  that  Tattenhara  Corner 
was  reached  the  field  was  seen  to  be  a  straoi-'dinsf  one. 
Christmas  Carol  on  the  inside  berth  came  round  in 
grand  style,  indicating  that  he  had  a  fair  chance  of 

10—2 


I4S  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

being  hailed  the  winner.  Eltham  also  looked  at  this 
point  like  attracting  the  attention  of  the  judge,  having 
a  good  place  on  the  lower  ground.  Longdown  also 
got  through  his  horses  pretty  well,  and  began  to  show 
in  the  race  to  some  advantage,  steered  by  John  Osborne. 
And  where  all  this  tinae  was  the  mighty  Ghidiateur, 
the  destined  winner  of  the  race,  will  naturally  be  asked? 
He  was  simply  biding  his  time,  althongh  he  was  rather 
far  off  to  please  his  friends,  many  of  whom  were  be- 
coming anxious,  whilst  one  or  two  were  in  despair. 
Grimshaw,  however,  was  carefully  nursing  his  horse, 
and  when  the  supreme  moment  arrived  he  was  among 
them  as  if  by  magic.  Shouts  were  just  being  raised 
for  Eltham,  when  French  shot  ahead  of  him  on  Christ- 
mas Carol,  and  then  the  cheers  arose  for  the  latter; 
but  they  lasted  only  for  a  moment,  as  the  Frenchman 
came  up  at  a  rate  of  speed  which  looked  (and  was) 
wonderfully  fast.  The  mighty  crowd  which  was  gazing 
on  the  scene  held  their  breath  for  a  moment  or  two, 
and  then  as  Gladiateur  stride  after  stride  overhauled 
first  Eltham  and  then  Christmas  Carol,  a  mighty  shout 
rent  the  air  as  the  Frenchman  passed  the  judge  winner 
of  the  much-coveted  '  Blue  Ribbon  of  the  Turf '  in 
18G5.  Two  lengths  was  the  distance  by  which  this 
memorable  race  was  won,  and  '  Waterloo  avenged.' 
The  second  favourite  in  the  betting  was  Mr,  Chaplin's 
horse  Breadalbane,  who  made  no  show  in  the  race, 
and  was  beaten  by  his  less  thought-off  stable  com- 
panion, Broomielaw  ;  but  Derby  honours  were  in  store 
for  the  owner  of  these  animals,  as  in  18G7  Hermit's 
famous  race  excited  quite  as  great  a  sensation  as 
that   of  Gladiateur.      Kangaroo,   the   property   of  a 


•  'THE  FRENCH  YEAR;  1S55.  149 

noted  sportsman,  ran  '  nowhere,'  and  the  Marquis  ot 
Hastings  was  not  destined  to  be  hailed  the  owner 
of  a  Derby  winner. 

As  has  been  mentioned,  the  French  horse  had  pre- 
viously won  the  Two  Thousand  Guineas  Stakes,  for 
which,  however,  he  did  not  start  anything  hke  I'avourite, 
Bedminster,  Liddington,  Breadalbane,  and  Kangaroo 
taking  precedence  of  Gladiateur  in  the  price  current. 
In  the  race  for  the  Guineas  seventeen  horses  followed 
the  victor  to  the  winning-post,  and  of  that  number  the 
following  took  part  in  the  struggle  for  the  Derby :  Sir 
Joseph  Hawley's  Bedminster,  which  started  favourite 
for  the  Two  Thousand,  but  was  only  placed  seventh  ; 
Le  Mandarin,  also  the  property  of  Count  Lagrange; 
Archimedes,  Breadalbane,  Kangaroo,  Tilt,  Ariel,  Rifle, 
and  Joker.  Of  the  race  for  the  Guineas,  we  were  told 
at  the  time  that  'Gladiateur,  without  being  called 
upon  in  earnest,  maintained  the  best  of  it  to  the  end, 
and  won  very  cleverly,  if  not  easily,  by  a  neck  from 
Archimedes,  Mr.  Merry's  horse  Liddington  being  third.' 
At  the  stud,  to  which  he  was  rolefrated  after  his  v/on- 
drous  successes  on  the  ra(^.ecourse,  Gladiateur  proved 
a  sad  failure;  yet  the  Count  in  the  year  18G9  refused 
the  big  sum  of  £16,000,  which  Mr.  Blenkiron,  the 
well-known  breeder,  offered  him  for  it,  but  that 
gentleman  became  ultimately  his  owner  a  year 
later,  when  he  bought  the  horse  at  less  than  half 
the  money. 

When  Lagrange  died,  the  event  was  of  course 
utilized  by  our  literary  turf-men,  while  recording  the 
achievements  of  his  horses,  to  rechronicie  the  scandals 
which  they  said  were  the  accompaniments  of  his  racing 


ISO  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OE  THE  TURF. 

career.  Thin_qs  Avere  done  openly  on  the  turf  by  the 
Count,  we  were  told,  which  were  the  reverse  of  straight- 
forward ;  he  certainly  did  not  race  in  a  spirit  of 
chivalry,  and  more  than  once  the  running  of  his  horses 
provoked,  a  popular  outbreak.  Count  de  Lagrange 
raced  in  the  grandest  possible  fashion.  In  his  best 
days  he  was  a  giant  on  the  turf,  and  his  stud  must 
have  cost  him  for  several  years  an  enormous  expendi- 
ture. According  to  Mr.  Corlett,  his  racing  field  was  a 
large  one ;  it  was  bounded  by  Newcastle  on  the  north, 
and  Marseilles  on  the  south  ;  Baden-Baden  on  the 
east,  and  Brest  on  the  west.  Such  a  stable  as  his  had 
never  before  been  known,  his  training  and  incidental 
expenses  having  on  occasion  been  as  much  as  £50,000 
a  year.  Such  a  man  could  not  afford  to  throw  away  a 
single  chance  —  he  would  require,  in  order  to  meet 
such  a  vast  expenditure,  a  good  deal  more  than  what 
he  could  obtain  in  stakes,  even  when  the  race  was 
a  Derby  or  St.  Leger.  In  1865  he  won  £25,000  in 
stakes  alone,  and  probably  for>r  times  that  sum  would 
not  represent  the  favourable  balance  presented  in  the 
pages  of  his  betting-book. 

Gladiateur's  career  on  the  turf  brought  his  owner  a 
sum  of  over  £30,000,  but  in  his  day  the  Count  had  other 
horses  which  put  money  in  his  purse,  notably  Fille  de 
I'Air  and  Chamant,  the  best  animal,  probably,  that 
ever  his  stud  contained.  In  1S76  that?  horse  was  the 
hero  of  the  Middle  Park  and  Dewhurst  Plates,  and  in 
the  following  year  he  would,  in  all  probability,  had  ho 
not  broken  down  a  few  days  before  it  w^as  run,  have 
credited  his  owner  with  a  second  *  Blue  Ribbon.'  His 
victory  in  the  Two  Thousand  Guineas   undoubtedly 


^THE  FRENCH  YEAR,'  1865.  151 

foreshadowed  another  Derby  and  St.  Leger  triumph 
for  Count  de  Lacrrancfe.  '  Had  not  Chamant  broken 
down,'  said  Lord  Falmouth,  when  Silvio  won  for  him 
his  second  Derby,  '  Archer  would  not  this  year  have 
ridden  his  first  Derby  winner.'  The  Count  also  won 
the  St.  Leger  with  his  horse  Rayon  d'Or  —  which 
many  persons  said  ought  also  to  have  won  the  Two 
Thousand  and  Derby. 

That  the  French  horse  had  a  year  in  hand  when  ho 
gained  the  Derby  was,  with  many  persons,  a  solemn 
belief,  and  the  owner  of  Regalia  (Mr.  Graham),  both 
before  and  after  the  St.  Leger  was  run,  demanded  an 
examination  of  the  horse's  mouth  ;  but  the  stewards 
of  the  meeting  declined  to  accede  to  the  request, 
'  unless  Mr.  Graham  would  state  in  writinof  his  cfrounds 
for  supposiug  the  horse  was  not  of  the  right  age.'  There 
can  be  no  doubt  that  in  thus  disputing  the  age  of  Gladia- 
teur  an  indignity  was  put  on  his  owner.  As  a  public 
writer  of  the  period  said,  in  commenting  upon  the  race 
for  the  Derby,  '  there  can  be  no  question  that  by  far  the 
best  horse  won  ;  and  the  imputation  of  the  winner 
having  ayear  in  hand  is  only  the  idle  gossip  of  those  who 
are  ignorant  of  the  fact  that  it  is  necessary  to  register  the 
birth  of  every  foal  bred  in  France,  with  its  distinguish- 
inor  marks,  to  entitle  it  to  run  for  the  Government  and 
other  prizes. ' 

When  Gladiateur  won  the  St.  Leger,  all  Yorkshire 
roared  approval;  the  shouts  sent  up  by  the  'tykes' 
were  deafening  indeed,  and  had  Count  de  Lagrange 
valued  the  approval  of  the  tens  of  thousands  who 
welcomed  the  victory  of  the  Frenchman  at  Doncaster, 
he  might  have  gone  home  a  happy  man  ;  but  he  took 


152  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

fortune  as  it  came  to  him— good  or  bad — witli  much 
equanimity. 

In  the  Two  Thousand  Guineas  of  1864,  Fille  de  I'Air, 
which  started  first  favourite  at  odds  of  9  to  4  against 
her,  was  the  absokite  last  in  the  race,  to  the  great  won- 
derment of  her  backers.  To  the  inexpressible  disgust 
of  Edwards,  her  jockey,  the  filly  was  'out  of  it  the 
moment  the  flag  fell.'  Severe  comments  were  made 
on  the  form  of  the  Count's  filly  :  '  For  to  suppose  that 
Fille  de  TAir,  the  best  animal  of  her  year  in  October 
last,  and  pronounced  to  be  invincible  by  her  own 
trainer  on  the  very  morning  of  the  present  race,  has 
trained  off  to  the  veritable  rosse  her  performance  to- 
day indicates,  is  too  ridiculous  for  a  moment's  consi- 
deration. There  was  a  scene  at  Epsom,  when,  the  filly 
having  won  the  Oaks,  her  jockey  returned  to  weigh  in, 
which  those  who  saw  will  long  remember.  To  the 
mob,  the  victory  of  the  Count's  mare,  after  what  had 
taken  place  in  the  Guineas,  was  most  unpalatable — 
but  why  the  ill-natured  thousands  who  groaned  and 
yelled  should  have  selected  the  rider  of  the  horse  as 
the  object  of  their  wrath  is  difficult  to  understand, 
because  if  there  was  a,ny  "  manipulation  of  the  mare  " 
in  connection  with  the  race  for  the  Guineas,  it  is  not 
in  the  least  likely  that  the  jockey  would  be  taken  into 
the  confidence  of  the  criminals ;  some  good  judges, 
indeed,  were  of  opinion  that  no  crime  had  been  com- 
mitted, but  that  the  mare  had  for  the  time  lost  her 
form.  At  some  future  time  we  shall  probably  get  to 
know  "all  about  it"  ;  but  it  seems  passing  strange  that 
such  a  stake  as  rewards  the  winner  of  the  Two  Thou- 
sand Guineas — in  this  instance  £i,400  was  the  net 


^THE  FRENCH  VEAR,'  1S&5.  153 

value — should  not  have  been  thought  worth  picking 
up.  The  explanation  probably  lies  in  the  fact  that,  at 
York  Spring  Meeting,  ochls  of  10  to  1  were  quoted 
asfainst  the  Count's  candidate  for  the  Oaks ;  later  on,  in 
the  season  at  Bath,  1,900  to  300  was  taken  about  Fille 
de  I'Air— about  which  enough  has  now  been  said.' 

The  confederacy  of  gentlemen  of  which  Count 
Lagrange  was  at  one  time  the  moving  power  con- 
ducted their  operations  in  a  business  spirit,  so  that 
they  were  able  to  put  money  m  their  purses.  For 
popularity  they  cared  nothing — the  horse,  to  them, 
was  simply  an  instrument  to  gamble  with.  It  is  not 
pleasant  to  have  to  speak  evil  of  a  dead  man  who  can 
give  no  explanation,  and  who  can  offer  no  defence, 
and  it  is  quite  possible  that,  had  he  chosen  to  do  so, 
he  could  have  shown  that  no  action  of  his  was  in  the 
least  degree  wrong — at  all  events,  he  quite  disregarded 
an}^  insinuations  that  were  made  against  him,  ever 
looking  on  at  the  great  game  with  a  pleasant  coun- 
tenance. 


•THE  AMERICAN  YEAR/  1881. 

The  racing  sensations  of  1881  wore  the  victories  in 
the  Derby  and  St.  Leger  of  Mr.  Lorii lard's  horse, 
Iroquois,  and  the  winning  of  the  double  event — 
Cesarewitch  and  Cambridgeshire  -  by  Mr.  Keene's 
Foxhall.  After  these  events  had  taken  place,  sporting 
writers  began  to  speak  of  the  'American  year,'  and 
sporting  journals  became  filled  with  gossip  incidental 
to  the  subject. 

Mr.  Lorillard,  the  owner  of  Iroquois,  was  of  course 
'  biographied,'  interviewed,  and  described  ;  his  trainer, 
Jacob  Pincus,  was  written  about  till  the  subject  be- 
came quite  stale.  The  pedigrees  of  the  winning 
liorses  were  traced,  the  system  of  preparation  adopted 
by  American  trainers  was  compared  with  our  system, 
and  when  these  topics  were  exhausted,  '  the  American 
plunger '  was  set  upon,  and  his  doings  on  our  race- 
courses remorselessly  chronicled  and  commented  upon. 
Turf-writers,  although  they  adaiitted  our  best  horses 
had  '  gone  down  like  ninepins  before  the  representa- 
tive animals  of  the  great  Transatlantic  Republic,'  were 
fain  to  take  refutre  in  the  excuse  that  the  English 
race-horses,  which  competed  in  the  American  year  as 
three  year- olds,  were  a  '  very  moderate  lot,'  and,  in 


'THE  AMERICAN  YEAR;  iSSi.  155 

consequence,  Iroquois  and  Foxhall  were  exceptionally 
lucky.  That  is  but  shabby  reasoning.  Iruquois  could 
only  beat  the  horses  set  against  him,  and  if  '  he  never 
met  a  really  first-class  three-year-old,  as  sound  in  wind 
and  limb  as  himself"'  that  is  due  to  the  fact  of  EnHish 
owners  not  having  entered  any  such— if  any  such  were 
that  year  in  existence.  It  was  forgotten  by  our  turf- 
writers,  in  their  anxiety  to  keep  up  the  credit  of  Old 
England  as  a  horse-breeding  nation,  that  the  mighty 
Btnd  Or  was  well  beaten,  in  the  Cambridgeshire,  by 
Foxhall,  at  a  ditlerence  of  8  lb.,  the  one  being  a  three- 
year-old  and  the  other  a  four-year-old.  True,  previous 
to  tliat.  in  the  City  and  Suburban,  the  English  horse 
gave  the  American  3-t  lb.  and  a  beatinuf,  but  after  that 
Foxhall  won  the  Grand  Prize  of  Paris,  and,  in  all 
probabilit}^,  could  have  beaten  Bend  Or  in  their  Octo- 
ber struggle  at  level  weights.  One  or  two  of  our  racing 
commentators  became  alarmed  at  the  future  prospects 
of  our  English  horses,  because  of  what  had  been 
achieved  by  the  Americans,  but,  happily  for  their  own 
peace  of  mind,  they  soon  calmed  down. 

The  story  of  the  Derby  taken  to  America  by 
Iroquois  can  be  easily  told.  It  was  anticipated  by  at 
least  one  of  our  best-informed  racing  commentators 
(Mr.  John  Corlett),  that  sooner  or  later  the  Derby 
winner  would  be  a  horse  hailing  from  America,  and 
his  prophecy  was  probably  more  speedily  fulhlled 
than  even  he  expected.  Peregrine's  easy  victory  in 
the  Two  Th'msand  Guineas  led,  of  course,  to  his  being 
first  favourite  for  the  Derby  of  1881,  for  which  his 
quotation  at  the  start  was  pretty  nearly  even  money, 
6  to  5  against   him   being   the   exact  figure,  whilst 


156  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF, 

11  to  2  was  betted  a<^ainst  the  chance  of  Iroquois,  who 
was  ridden  by  tlie  first  horseman  of  the  day — Fred 
Archer.  The  race  for  the  Derby  saw  the  same  horses 
first  and  second  as  in  the  Two  Thousand  Guineas, 
but  with  this  important  difierence,  that  their  positions 
in  the  race  were  transposed.  In  the  Guineas 
Peregrine  won  with  great  ease,  beating  Iroquois  by 
three  lengths,  Don  FuLano  being  third.  The  verdict 
of  the  judge  in  the  Derby,  as  interpreted  by  the 
compilers  of  our  turf-guides,  was,  '  Won  somewhat 
easily  by  half  a  length ';  but  those  who  witnessed  the 
finish  of  the  struggle  were  somewhat  uneasy,  as  it 
appeared  that  at  any  moment  the  other  horse  might 
prove  the  better  animal  of  the  two ;  as  the  late  Mr. 
Merry  used  to  say  on  such  occasions,  '  it's  rather  too 
close  to  be  pleasant.'  Jockeys,  it  is  said,  like  that 
sort  of  work,  and  some  of  them,  we  are  told,  are  such 
adepts  in  the  business  as  to  be  able  to  win  by  a 
short  head,  having,  in  turf  parlance,  '  a  little  bit  up 
their  sleeve ';  it  is  much  pleasanter,  hov»-ever,  to  see 
one's  fancy  secure  a  race  by  a  length  than  a  short 
head,  which  means  only  a  distance  of  about  six 
inches. 

So  little  was  the  chance  for  the  Derby  of  the 
American  horse  esteemed,  that  between  the  date  of 
that  race  and  the  Two  Thousand  Guineas  good  odds 
were  to  be  obtained  against  its  chance  of  winning ;  at 
one  time,  indeed,  it  was  easy  to  obtain  as  much  as 
25  to  1.  Two  wins  at  llo3'al  Ascot — one  in  the  Prince 
of  Wales's  Stakes,  and  the  other  in  the  St.  James's 
Pahxce  Stakes — coupled  with  the  fact  that  Archer 
would  be  again  in  the  saddle,  tended  to  keep  Iroquois 


'THE  AMERICAN  YEAR;  1881  157 

at  a  sliort  prico  for  tlic  St.  Lcger.  Ono  of  the  factors 
in  the  comparatively  short  figure  at  which  tlie  horse 
■was  ultimately  backed  for  the  Derby  Avas  comprised 
in  the  circumstance  that  Archer  would  be  his  rider, 
and  as  showing  the  importance  attached  to  having 
such  a  horseman  on  his  back,  the  mere  rumour  one 
day,  that  Archer  was  '  not  to  ride,'  led  to  the  horse's 
declining  in  the  market  to  the  extent  of  two  points. 
Rightly  or  wrongly,  the  services  of  the  jockey  in 
question  were  thought  of  such  importance  that  the 
rumour  of  his  having  'the  mount'  on  ^r\y  particular 
animal  proved  at  once  highly  favourable  to  its  market 
status. 

Iroquois  won  the  great  St.  Leger  Stakes  by  the 
distance  of  a  length  from  the  horse  which  was  second, 
Geologist.  Previous  to  the  day  of  the  race,  from  the 
time  of  the  York  Meeting,  in  fact,  what  may  be  called 
a  '  dead  set '  was  made  against  the  horse  in  the 
market.  One  or  two  bookmakers,  as  the  saying  goes, 
'never  left  him,'  but  continued  their  deadl}'  fusillade 
almost  to  the  hour  of  the  race.  jSiO  person  could 
understand  why  Iroquois  should  be  the  victim  of  such 
formidable  opposition.  Some  there  were  who  insinu- 
ated that  when  the  horse  appeared  at  the  post  it  would 
be  seen  that  he  was  not  half  trained  for  so  severe  a  race  ; 
this  was  said,  too,  in  the  face  of  a  report  made  by 
Archer,  who  had  ridden  him  a  fine  gallop  on  the  Satur- 
day before  he  left  for  Doncaster,  on  the  Town  Moor 
of  which  the  race  is  run.  That  report  being  to  the 
eflect  that  his  jockey  was  perfectly  satisfied  with  the 
horse  and  the  condition  in  which  he  found  him. 
Pincus,  his  trainer,  did  not  make  much  of  '  a  show  '  of 


ISS  THE  BLUE  RiBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

Iroquois  in  his  morning  gallops  on  the  St.  Leger  course ; 
on  the  contrary,  the  horse  Avas  rushed  through  his 
work,  and  hurried  back  to  his  stable,  almost  before 
any  person  had  an  opportunity  of  looking  him  over. 
This  fact  strengthened  an  opinion  that  had  gained 
frround,  that  the  horse  was  a  '  stiff  'un,'  and  there  is 
no  doubt  that  among  the  majority  of  racing  men  he 
was  looked  upon  in  the  light  of  a  '  market  horse  ' — of 
being,  in  fact,  already  numbered  with  the  deadest  of 
the  dead. 

Never  before  had  there  been  a  St.  Leger  favourite 
about  whom  there  was  so  much  nioney  to  lay.  An 
owner  of  horses  of  some  repute,  it  is  said,  was  pressed 
by  a  well-known  bookmaker  to  accept  £4  000  to  £1 ,000 
just  before  the  race.  He  declined  the  bet,  unwilling 
to  be  '  had  '  with  his  eyes  open.  If  the  horse  at  any 
time  seemed  to  rally,  the  deadly  tide  of  opposition 
again  began  to  flow,  and  the  waves  seemed  to  increase 
in  strength.  As  a  Derby  winner  and  as  a  victor  at 
Ascot,  on  the  morniug  of  the  St.  Leger  Iroquois  ought 
to  have  been  at  even  money  in  the  betting,  instead  of 
at  prices  which  varied  from  7  to  3  to  1.  Those  who 
had  backed  him  on  the  strength  of  his  Derby  win 
gladly  got  quit  of  their  money  at  a  loss;  as  one 
gentleman  told  the  writer,  '  they  shook  it  all  out  of 
me,  at  a  price  that  entailed  a  large  loss.'  Three  of 
the  best-known  trainers  at  the  great  seat  of  training 
were  publicly  heard  to  assert  '  the  horse  had  not  the 
ghost  of  a  chance,'  and  whilst  the  training  reports 
announced  that  Iroquois  was  undergoing  a  -fair  turn 
of  work,  galloping  daily  a  good  distance,  private 
gossip  was  busy  with  an  opposite  stor}^,  and  at  the 


'THE  AMERICAN  YEAR;  iS8r.  159 

clubs  the  belief  was  fully  entertained  that  the  American 
would  be  easily  beaten. 

This  has  often  been  so;  similar 'dead  sets'  have 
been  made  on  horses  before,  and  the  performance  of 
the  animal,  as  in  the  case  of  the  American,  has  given 
the  lie  to  the  actions  of  the  enemy.  But  it  has  to  be 
confessed  that  when  the  '  undertaking '  machinery  of 
the  turf  market  is  set  going  it  has  usually  but  one 
result:  the  horse  operated  upon,  to  describe  what  occurs 
in  an  unotfensive  way,  '  does  not  win.'  The  '  death's 
head  and  cross-bones  men  '  rarely  act  without  orders. 
The'chief  grave-digger'  only  opens  his  mouth  fordoom: 
either  he  or  some  friend  of  his  has  'the  key  of  the  stable' 
in  which  the  sickly  horse  is  housed ;  but  no  fellow 
could  understand  why  Iroquois  should  have  been 
given  over  to  these  ghouls  just  before  the  great  race 
which  would  set  the  seal  upon  his  fame.  Nor  has  the 
mystery  which  attended  Iroquois  at  Doncaster  ever 
been  solved.  Grantinsf  that  the  cok  had  retained  his 
fine  form  and  his  good  health,  why  should  Mr. 
Lorillard  not  desire  that  the  value  of  the  animal  should 
be  enhanced  by  a  victory  on  that  battle-ground  which 
had  seen  over  a  hundred  equine  tights,  in  which  the 
combatants  were  of  unsurpassed  ability  for  speed  and 
stamina  ?     Why,  indeed  ? 

Sutiice  it  to  say  that  when  the  hour  came  the  steed 
was  ready  and  was  not  found  wanting.  At  the  last 
moment  the  betting  settled  down,  and  Iroquois  started 
for  the  St.  Leger  as  first  favourite,  the  price  offered 
being  2  to  1.  The  story  of  the  struggle  need  not  be 
retold.  An  exciting  race  between  Geologist  and  the 
American  resulted  in  the  victory  of  the  latter,  well 


i6o  THE  BLUE  RIB  HON  OF  THE  TURF. 

ridden  by  EngLi'id's  greatest  jockey,  by  r  length.  The 
win  was  a  popular  one,  as  Iroquois  was  seen  to  have 
the  race  in  hand.  The  excited  shouts  of  100,000 
persons  rent  the  air ;  the  cheers  resounding  again 
and  again  as  Archer  brought  his  horse  into  the 
enclosure  :  all  present  seemed  highly  gratified  at  the 
result  of  the  race,  and  the  defeat  of  those  birds  of  evil- 
omen  which  had  croaked  a  few  short  hours  before,  as 
if  the  disgrace  of  the  gallant  American  steed  was  a 
certainty. 

Some  backers  of  the  colt  never  faltered  in  their 
loyalty,  the  more  Iroquois  was  decried,  and  his  chance 
made  light  of,  all  the  readier  they  seemed  to  back  their 
opinion  with  their  money.  When  the  horse  was  seen 
stripped  for  the  race,  all  men  who  could  judge  saw  in 
a  miimcnt  that  he  was  as  tit  as  hands  could  render 
him,  and  many  of  those  Avho  had  hedged  their  money 
at  a  loss  because  of  the  evil  reports  which  had  been  so 
industriously  circulated,  would  have  been  glad  enough 
to  have  again  baci^ed  him  could  they  have  the  oppor- 
tunity ;  but,  alas !  it  was  too  late  ;  they  were  wedged  in 
the  dense  mass  of  people  who  filled  the  stand,  and  had 
no  alternative  but  to  patiently  wait  and  see  Iroquois 
credit  Brother  Jonathan  with  his  first  St,  Leger. 
During  all  that  took  place  the  quiet  confidence  of 
Jacob  Pincus  never  faltered.  Some  persons  were  so 
bold  as  to  suggest  that  he  miglit  have  been  bought  by 
'the  enemy,'  but  Jacob  went  on  with  his  training  dudes, 
heeding  not  the  idle  rumours ;  and  who  will  say  that 
his  reward  was  not  a  great  one,  as  he  proudly  led  the 
steed  into  the  paddock  after  the  supreme  excitement 
of  witnessing  the  race  had  been  endured  ? 


'THE  AMERICAN  YEAR,'  iS8r.  i6i 

Foxliall,  as  all  persons  versed  in  the  lore  of  the  turf 
are  aware,  lost  the  City  and  Suburban  Handicap,  run 
at  theEpsomSpring  Meeting — havingmet  his  conqueror 
in  the  gallant  Bend  Or,  a  J^orby  winner  of  the  year 
before;  but  after  the  lapse  of  a  few  weeks  Mr.  Keene's 
horse  crossed  the  Channel,  and  won  the  greatest  prize  of 
the  French  turf,  the  Grand  Prize  of  Paris,  a  race  the 
value  of  which  is  seldom  surpassed  even  by  the  Derby  ; 
in  1881  the  stake- amounted  to  £G,874,  besides  the 
amount  which  might  bo  won  in  bets.  Tristan,  the 
horse  which  was  second  to  Foxhall  in  the  Grand 
Prize,  has  since  proved  himself  a  steed  of  metal ;  so 
also  has  Fiddler,  the  fourth  in  the  strut^'-ole,  thus 
demonstrating  that  the  animal  wliich  secured  the 
trophy,  as,  indeed,  was  afterv/ards  proved,  was  a  horse 
of  mark  and  merit. 

But  a  grander  coup  was  accomplished  when  Foxhall 
scored  the  double  event  of  Cesarewir.ch  and  Cam- 
bridgeshire. These  ara  undoubtedly  the  two  greatest 
races  of  the  handicap  order  wliich  are  run  in  Enghmd, 
and  for  one  horse  to  secure  both  events  with  the 
weight  carried  by  Foxhall  was  an  altogether  unex- 
pected feat.  In  the  Cesarewitch  he  was  loaded  with 
7  St.  12  lb,,  which,  for  a  three-year-old,  was  a  suffi- 
ciently heavy  iraj)ost  when  the  distance  over  which  it 
had  to  be  carried  is  taken  into  account.  Robert  the 
Devil,  also  a  Grand  Prize  winner,  and  a  victor  in  the 
St.  Leger  as  well,  had  won  the  previous  year's  Cesare- 
witch, carrying  the  unprecedented  weight  of  8  st.  6  lb., 
a  weight  which  many  persons,  supposed  to  be  good 
judges,  asserted  it  was  '  impossible'  to  win  with;  but 
the  horse  won,  nevertheless.     When  Julius,  a  three- 

11 


l62  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

year-old,  and  a  placed  horse  in  the  St.  Leger  of  1SG7, 
secured  the  Cesarevvitch,  carrying  8  St.,  it  was  con- 
sidered a  marvellous  result.  Having  earned  a  penalty, 
Foxhall,  vvith  9  st.  on  his  back,  beat  thirty-one  horses, 
and  won  the  Cambridgeshire,  one  of  the  greatest  turf 
events  ever  celebrated  in  England.  Blue  Gown,  a 
Derby  v.^inner,  could  only  manage  in  1868  to  obtain 
the  second  place  with 'a  similar  weight.  The  double 
event  of  Cesarewitch  and  Cambridgeshire  had  only 
been  once  before  acbieved,  Avhen  Roscbery  won  both 
handicaps  :  the  Cesarewitch  carrying  7  st.  .5  lb ,  and 
the  Cambridgeshire  with  8  st.  5  lb.  on  his  back. 
That  horse  was  a  four-year-old. 

The  money  won  in  stakes  by  the  two  famous 
American  horses  is  worth  noting,  Iroquois  ran  nine 
times,  and  only  lost  two  races,  and  .in  these  he  was 
second  and  third  respectively.  lie  won  the  following 
sums  : 

Newmarket  Stakes          -  -  £275 

Rurwell  Stakes  (w.  o.)      -  -  180 

The  Derby      ...  -  5,925 

Prince  of  Wules's  Stakes  -  2,800 

St.  James's  Palace  Stakes  -  1,500 

The  St.  Leger          -        -  -  5,450 

Newmarket  Derby  ...  075 


Being  a  totul  of        -         -    £10  805 

The  sum  credited  to  Mr.  Lorillard  by  the  turf 
statisticians  is  £18,787  ;  but  the  above  are  the  ligures 
contained  in  '  Ruffs  Guide,'  to  which  must,  of  course, 
be  added  a  sum  for  the  second  horse   in   the  Two 


'THE  AMERICAN  YEAR;  iSSi.  163 

Thousand  Guineas.  Mr.  Keenc,  by  the  saoie  anthorlty 
(Ruf!),  won  a  sum  of  £5,2IG,  besides  the  vahie  of  the 
Grand  Prize  of  Paris.  Foxhall  ran  upon  seven 
occasions,  and  scored  five  wins  : 


Grand  Prize  of' Paris 

£G;374< 

Grand  Duke  Michael  Stakes    - 

747 

Cesare  witch 

1,287 

Select  Stakes          .         -         . 

445 

Cambridc^eshire       .         -         . 

2,017 

Making  a  total  of    -         -    £10,S70 

When  these  great  stakes  had  been  won,  the  Ameri- 
can horses  came  in  for  some  critici.-^ra,  and  venturesome 
persons  began  to  predict  a  great  caieer  on  the  English 
turf  for  Transatlantic  sportsmen,  just  the  same  as  they 
did  for  Frenchmen  when  Gladiateur  carrieJ  of[  tlie 
triple  event  of  Guineas,  D.rby,  and  St.  Leg^r  ;  but  we 
have  notyetseenon  theEnglishturf  anotherGladiateur. 

An  American  writer  wrote  the  following  very 
sensible  remarks  on  this  part  of  the  questi<ni : 

•'In  considering  the  chances  ]\Ir.  Lorillard'.s  staldc 
v,-ill  have  in  England,  writers  for  the  press  do  not  take 
into  consideiatiuti  the  vast  odds  against  him.  Jt  is  the 
height  of  folly  to  expect  a  single  stable,  with  only 
some  two  or  three  tried  horses  in  it,  to  go  to  England, 
meet  an  army  of  race-lior>es,  and  beat  the  pick  and 
be>t  of  that  country,  France  and  the  Continent  i)f 
Euro[)e.  We  do  not  bcHeve  the  English  could  bring 
a  single  stable  here  and  beat  the  be.>t  of  this  country, 
and  it  is  a  still  harder  matter  to  go  there  and  beat 

11—2 


l64  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

tliem,  as  tbcy  have  three  times  as  many  race-horses  in 
trainin;^.  As  an  iUusLration,  take  the  number  of  foals 
dropped  annually  in  Engbmd,  to  say  nothing  of 
France,  Germany,  Austria,  and  Hungary,  and  then 
wcii^h  the  chances  of  a  sino^le  stable  atjainst  them. 
In  1874  England  bred  1,G0G  colts  and  fillies,  in  Ls75 
bred  i,620,  in  1876  bred  1628;  total  Hving  foals  for 
three  years,  4,85-1.  In  1874  we  bred  in  America  336, 
1875  bred  409,  and  1876  bred  604;  total  living  foals 
for  three  years,  1,349.  Hen^  is  a  difference  of  nearly 
four  to  one  in  favour  of  England.  Now,  is  it  reason- 
able  to  suppose  that  America  can  breed  and  produce 
a  better  or  greater  number  of  tirst-cla^s  race-horses 
from  1,349  foals  than  England  can  from  4,854  ?  Is 
our  stock  of  sires  and  brood-mares  superior  to  hers  ? 
I^ocs  it  look  reasonable  that  we  can  select  a  single 
representative,  or  a  hult'-dozon,  send  them  to  England, 
uiiacclimatized,  and  beat  them  ?  PanJe,  Duke  of 
Magenta,  and  Uncas  will  have  to  meet  the  best  of  the 
foals  of  1874,  1875,  and  1876;  and  is  there  any  cer- 
tainty, and  does  it  not  look  improbable,  judging  by 
public  performanes,  that  Parole  can  beat  such  horses 
as  Silvio,  four  years,  who  recently  gave  Start,  four 
3'ears,  22  lb.,  and  an  easy  bL-ating ;  and  such  horses 
as  Verneuil,  Lady  Golightly,  Julius  Ciesar,  Pageant, 
and  Ni.rwich,  for  it  is  against  such  he  will  have  to 
run  ?  Can  Duke  of  Magenta  beat,  weiijht  for  a^-e, 
such  as  Jannetto,  In-^ulaire,  Thurio,  and  Sefton  ?  and 
can  Uncas  beat  Whe  1  of  Fortune,  Peter,  Cadogan, 
Strathern,  Gunner.-.bury,  Rti|>erra,  Ptayon  d'Or,  Leap 
Year,  Charibert,  and  a  number  of  others  of  almost 
Cipial  merit?     That  Mr.  Lorillard's  stable  will  be  sue- 


'THE   AMERICAN  YEAR;  i88r.  165 

crssful  in  England,  with  the  odds  against  them,  to  say 
nothing  of  the  chmate,  change  of  feed,  water,  etc.,  is 
hke  hojiing  against  hope ;  and  those  who  have  hiuded 
them  to  the  skies,  and  built  up  expectations  not  to  be 
realized,  will  have  to  answer  to  a  disappointed  public' 
Jacob  Pincus,  the  trainer  of  Iroquois,  came  in  for 
a  large  share  of  observation  on  his  arrival  on  the 
Newnjarket  training-grounds.  The  ways  of  American 
trainers  are  not  as  the  ways  of  Engli.^hmen  following 
the  same  pursuit.  Jacob  was  well  versed  in  his  business, 
and  had  served  a  long  apprenticeship  before  arriving 
in  Europe,  Twenty-six  years  ago  he  rode  Mr.  Ten 
Broeck's  Pryor  in  the  first  race  he  ran  ;  he  filled  the 
saddle  for  various  other  American  breeders  and  owners 
of  horses,  and  in  his  time  has  superintended  the  train- 
ing of  some  of  the  more  notable  Transatlantic  race- 
liorses.  Pincus  has  the  great  merit  of  'making' 
Iroouois;  and  the  colt  gave  his  trainer  such  a  vast 
amount  of  trouble  as  to  render  his  work  no  sinecure. 
The  liorse  had  as  a  two-j'car  old  undergone  a  severe 
orileal,  having  been  called  upon  to  run  twelve  races, 
some  of  them,  too,  with  very  heavy  weights  upon  his 
back.  Various  ills  overtook  the  horse — swelled  knees, 
indigestion,  loss  of  appetite,  etc.  ;  but  care  and  atten^ 
tion  brought  him  round,  till  ultimately  Pincus  led  him 
in  as  a  winner  of  the  greatest  English  race.  Mean- 
time, Barrett,  in  the  same  stable,  became  a  public 
fancy.  Passaic  was  aL.o  trained  in  the  American 
stable  at  one  time,  bu^  was  parted  with ;  and  it  may 
be  somewhat  mortifying  to  those  who  once  owned  him 
that  he  proved  good  enough  to  win  an  important 
handicap. 


i66  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  GF  THE  TURF. 

As  has  been  already  told,  Iroquois  ran  in  the  Two 
Thousand  Guineas,  gaining  second  honours  in  the 
race,  a  position  that,  considering  the  sickness  the 
animal  had  encountered,  his  trainer,  perhaps,  scarcely 
expected  he  would  gain.  Pincus,  as  soon  as  the 
Guineas  had  been  decided,  commenced  to  give  Iroquois 
his  Derby  preparation.  He  was  laughed  at.  No 
person  had  ever  before  seen  a  horse  trained  for  the 
great  Epsom  struggle  in  the  same  fashion ;  touts  and 
newspaper  oracles  were  amazed  at  the  style  adopted 
by  the  American  trainer;  they  at  once  predicted 
failure.  But  Jacob  carried  on  in  his  own  way ; 
criticism  had  no  effect  upon  him ;  he  saw  that  day  by 
day  the  horse  was  ripening  for  the  great  effort  which 
he  would  be  required  to  make,  although  he  was  not 
over- sanguine  of  success.  Pincus,  however,  soon 
became  aware  that  if  he  was  to  win  the  Derby  for  Mr. 
Lorillard,  it  would  not  be  by  means  of  Barrett,  who 
was  never  able  to  beat  Iroquois  in  any  trial  that  took 
place.  Still,  the  public  tvould  back  that  horse  ;  piles 
of  money  came  from  America,  and  from  places  nearer 
the  scene  of  action,  all  of  it  for  Barrett,  much  to  the 
gain  of  the  bookmakers.  It  is  to  the  credit  of 
Mr.  Matthew  Dawson,  of  Newmarket,  and  shows  his 
discrimination,  that  he  discovered  in  Iroquois,  at  an 
early  period  of  his  career,  the  makings  of  a  Dei  by 
victor ;  and  in  spite  of  the  gabblings  of  profes- 
sional and  other  touts,  backed  the  horse  to  win  him 
some  money.  The  trainer's  best  reward  was  in  seeing 
his  horse  win  the  great  race.  But  Iroquois  was  called 
upon  to  perform  a  feat  which  no  Derby  winner  had 
ever  succeeded  in  accomplishing,  and  that  was  to  win 


^THE  AMERICAN  YEAR;  iSSt.  167 

the  Prince  of  Wales's  Stakes  at  Ascot,  over  one  of  the 
most  trying  courses  in  England ;  and  the  horse  did  all 
that  he  was  asked  to  do  on  that  occasion  :  he  won  the 
race,  which  was  even  denied  to  Lord  Lyon,  who  was 
compelled  to  put  up  with  second  honours  to  Rustic. 
When  in  health  Iroijuois  never  tired  of  work — that 
was  one  of  the  thine^s  he  never  cfot  enouij^h  of — nor 
did  he  ever  tire  of  eating  the  good  Scotch  oats  on 
v/hich  he  was  fed.  All  who  took  an  interest  in 
Iroquois  may  rest  assured  that  had  it  not  been  for 
Jacob  Pincus  the  horse  would  never  have  cut  that 
fitjure  on  the  English  race-courses  that  has  made  him 
so  celebrated. 

A  feature  of  the  American  3'ear  was  the  success 
of  Mr.  Walton — '  the  plunger/  as  he  was  called.  The 
word  in  question  is  applied  to  persons  who  bet  in 
large  sums ;  and  the  bookmakers  as  a  body  are  not  at 
all  slow  to  do  business  with  the  '  plungers,'  as  it  is  a 
tradition  of  the  fraternity  that  they  are  sure  to  get  all 
the  money  won  by  a  '  plunger '  back  again,  and  much 
more  in  addition  to  it.  Mr.  Walton,  the  American 
'plunger,'  has  told  his  own  story,  the  relation  of  his 
adventures  on  the  English  race-courses  as  a  backer  of 
horses  having  been  made  to  one  of  the  gentlemen  who 
interviews  celebrities  of  all  kinds  for  the  New  York 
Herald.  Some  of  Mr.  Walton's  confessions  are  not  a 
little  astounding ;  in  the  first  place,  there  is  the  mag- 
nitude of  his  v.'innings — these  amounted  to  £93,000 
net  money.  Mr.  Walton's  perseverance  in  seeking 
information  attracted  the  attention  of  our  English 
turf-writers.  He  was  accused  of  bribing  jockeys  or 
other  persons,  in  order  to  obtain  the  requisite  kuow- 


i68  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

ledge  before  investing  his  cash  on  any  particular 
horse;  but  if  he  did  so,  he  is  certainly  by  no  means 
the  first  turf-gambler  Avho  has  done  so ;  and  Avhy 
English  turf-writers  should  have  worked  themselves 
into  such  a  state  of  misery  about  a  matter  that  has 
been  carried  on  for  years,  and  is  practised  every  day 
by  Englishmen,  is  one  of  those  things  that  no  fellow 
can  imderstand. 

The  7norale  of  such  procedure  is  the  same  whether 
the  sums  expended  in  bribes  or  rewards  be  large  or 
small.  Here,  however,  is  'the  American  plunger's' 
own  view  of  the  matter  :  '  The  man  who  starts  specu- 
latinGf  on  horse-racin'^  with  the  idea  that  his  unaided 
judgment  is  going  to  lead  him  on  to  fortune  will  soon 
find  himself  at  the  end  of  his  financial  tether,  no 
matter  how  big  a  bank  account  he  may  start  operat- 
ing with.  Now,  I  have  been  bitterly  attacked  by 
certain  sporting  papers  for  giving  jocke3's  money  and 
paying  for  any  information  legitimately  obtainable 
that  I  thought  worth  having,  but  in  so  doing  I  claim 
that  I  am  only  protecting  my  interests  in  a  manner 
that  I  have  a  perfect  right  to  do.  Do  you  suppose 
that  a  bookmaker  has  never  given  a  jockey  mone}^  to 
lose  a  race  ?  Well,  when  I  back  a  horse  to  win  me, 
say,  £5,000  or  £10,000,  I  can  afford  to  insure  myself 
by  promising  the  jocke}"  £1,000  if  he  wins.  Now,  the 
bookmaker  cannot  afford  to  give  him  any  such  sum, 
even  if  he  were  willing  to  be  bought,  as  often  I  have 
only  £1,000  or  so  at  stake,  while  I  stand  to  win  £10,000. 
Don't  run  away  with  the  idea  that  I  wish  to  imply  that 
all  the  bookmakers  and  jockeys  are  in  a  conspiracy  to 
rob  the  backers.     There  are  plenty  of  jockeys   like 


^TIIE  AMERICAN  YEAR;  iZZi.  \Cc) 

Archer,  Cannon,  and  Wood,  and  poor  j\rDonald  and 
Watts,  Barrett  and  Osborne,  whom  no  money  could 
buy,  and  hundreds  of  bookmakers  who  are  as  'square 
as  brokers  and  bankers;  but,  as  I  say,  I  choose  to 
anticipate  a  certain  amount  of  my  probable  winnings 
in  the  way  of  insurance,  and  whether  that  has  any- 
thing  to  do  with  what  you  call  my  phenomenal  success 
I  must  leave  you  to  judge.' 

Further  says  Mr,  Walton,  in  his  frank,  off-hand  way: 
'  We  surely  have  a  right  to  presume  that  when  a 
gentleman  starts  a  horse  for  a  race  it  is  his  intention 
to  win  if  he  can.  Very  well,  then,  he  cannot  take  up 
the  position  that  I  have  paid  his  servants  to  disobey 
his  orders,  and  why  I  am  not  at  liberty  to  express  my 
admiration  for  a  brilliant  piece  of  horsemanship  by  a 
substantial  money  gift,  just  as  actors  and  singers  aro 
often  loaded  with  handsome  presents  by  persons  other 
than  those  who  pay  their  salaries,  I  am  at  a  loss  to 
understand.' 

An  account  of  the  American  j'ear  would  certainly 
have  been  incom[)lete  if  it  had  contained  no  reference 
to  the  doings  of  Mr.  Walton.  The  story  of  the  Ameri- 
can's interview  with  an  honourable  baronet  who  lost 
his  temper  because  Walton  had  'dared'  to  back  his 
horses  was  told  at  considerable  length  by  the  'plunger,' 
but  as  that  irascible  but  kindly-natured  gentleman 
has  in  all  probability  repented  the  part  he  played  ou 
the  occasion,  the  incident  shall  not  be  further  per- 
petuated hero. 


BOOKMAKING. 

I. 

*  Had  there  been  no  bookmakers,'  said  John  Gully, 
'  the  Derby  never  would  have  become  what  it  is.' 
That  saying  is,  of  course,  applicable  to  the  turf  gener- 
ally, and  may  be  accepted  without  comment.  The 
professional  bookmaker  stands  up  to  be  shot  at  by  all 
comers,  and  goes  on  laying  the  odds  at  varying  prices 
on  every  race  of  the  season  till  the  horses  start,  and 
on  some  occasions  even  as  the  animals  are  runninof. 

Of  late  years  bookmakers  have  been  well  abused, 
having  been  described  by  one  turf-writer  as  '  swme,' 

and  by  another  as  ' swindlers,'  a  third  capping 

these  two  classifications  by  designating  them  '  ignorant 
blackguards,'  which  phrases,  when  indiscriminately 
applied,  are  certainly  not  deserved.  Many  of  the  book- 
makers doinoc  business  on  our  race-courses  are  doubtless 
ignorant  of  matters  not  connected  with  their  own  pur- 
suit, and  probably  they  never  interfere  with  the  atiairs 
of  other  people ;  but  as  a  rule  the  leading  men  of  '  the 
profession '  are  civil  enough,  and  eager  to  trade,  not  a 
few  of  them  being  persons  of  gentlemanly  deportment 
and  good  manners ;  some  are  even  educated  men. 
Judging  from  what  one  sees  at  the  various  meetings, 


BOOKMAKING.  171 

there  must  Le  a  vast  number  of  bookmakers  at  work. 
At  Epsom  Summer  Meeting,  at  Royal  Ascot,  and  at 
Goodwood,  the  paddocks  seem  as  crowded  with  these 
busybodies  as  with  the  pubhc.  At  Doncaster  during 
a  meeting  a  curious  inquirer  was  able  to  count  over 
seven  hundred  industrious  pencillers  inside  and  out- 
side the  various  rin^s,  a  considerable  number  of  whom 
Avere  no  doubt  '  welshers '  or  thieves.  As  a  rule,  the 
professional  bookmaker  is  an  industrious,  hard-working 
person.  There  is  now  such  a  plethora  of  meetings, 
and  so  much  business  to  be  got  through  on  each  day, 
that  it  may  be  said  without  exaggeration  that  he  lias 
to  work  every  day  of  the  year.  When  not  engaged  in 
shoutinsf  and  noting'  the  odds  on  the  race-course,  he  is 
either  travelling  to  the  next  meeting  or  engaged  in 
making  up  his  accounts  or  carrying  on  his  correspon- 
dence. 

Bookmakers  have  favourite  circuits  to  which  they 
adhere ;  some  never  go  north  of  Trent,  others  never 
venture  south  of  that  river;  not  a  few,  however,  go 
everywhere,  and  are  to  be  found  in  the  paddock  at 
most  of  the  important  meetings  of  the  season,  from 
Lincoln  Spring  to  Manchester  Autumn,  and  then  they 
begin  a  round  of  steeplechasing,  which  carries  them 
irom  the  end  of  November  to  the  beginning  of  March. 
Besides  the  men  who  devote  themselves  to  the  busi- 
ness all  the  3'ear  round,  there  are  not  a  few  who  carry 
on  book- making  b}'  fits  and  starts,  small  tradesmen 
and  others  who,  combining  business  with  pleasure, 
mMko  a  book  at  some  favourite  racing  resort,  and  thus 
see  the  races  for  nothing,  and  sometimes  make  a  little 
money  in  addition. 


173  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

Many  of  the  larger  bookmalcers  are  men  who  have 
invested,  their  savings  in  a  business  of  some  kind,  such 
as  a  brewery,  a  flour-mill,  a  cutlery  establishment,  a 
newspaper,  a  tavern,  hotel,  or  common  '  pub.'  Some 
bookmakers  work  in  partnership,  or  in  syndicates,  and, 
if  they  do  not  divide  profits,  they  share  the  cost  of 
acquiring  information  and  other  expenses.  The  pro- 
fits of  'ready-money'  bookmaking  on  the  racecourse 
are  undoubtedly  considerable,  there  being  no  risk  of 
bad  debts.  As  there  are  from  five  to  eight  races  de- 
cided every  day  at  each  meeting,  it  goes  hard  with 
the  'ayer  of  the  odds  if  he  does  not  twice  in  a  day  find 
the  favourite  overthrown,  and  the  money  for  which  it 
was  backed  safe  in  his  pocket ;  and  in  the  event  of  a 
horse  winninc^  aq-ainst  Avhich  he  has  not  laid  the  odds, 
then  he  in  all  probability  reaps  a  handsome  profit — 
'  skins  the  lamb,'  as  the  savincf  Efoes.  Some  book- 
makers  lay  the  horses  running  to  any  amount,  say  to 
lose  £50,  a  £100,  or  even  £500,  according  to  status 
and  means.  They  will  more  especially  do  so  if  they 
find  that  three  or  four  horses  are  being  backed  by 
the  public,  and  that  there  is  some  chance  of  an  out- 
sider winning.  They  take  care  to  lay  the  smallest  pos- 
sible price  against  each  horse  that  the  jDublic  will  be 
satisfied,  with.  If  '  backing  at  his  own  prices '  be  at 
all  brisk,  the  bookmaker  has  not  much  to  fear  when 
his  frequent  chances  of  'skinning  the  lamb  '  are  taken 
into  account.  Seeing  that  there  are  every  racing  day 
from  thirty  to  fifty  horses  running,  the  bookmaker  has 
his  work  cut  out,  and  must  shout  loudly,  and  by  the 
aid  of  a  clerk  pencil  actively,  to  get  '  field  money  '  in 
his  book.     No  wonder  after  returnint?  from  the  scene 


BOOWUAKIXG.  173 

of  action  that  he  feels  tired  and  much  inclhicd  to  eat 
a  good  dinner  and  go  early  to  bed.  As  a  rule,  the  best 
bookmakers  are  rather  abstemious  in  regard  to  drink- 
ing, and  as  a  class  they  are  sober  men,  many  of  them 
not  tasting  wines  or  spirits  for  months  at  a  stretch. 

A  goodly  number  of  the  present  bookmakers  have 
'risen'  from  nothing,  and  it  is  to  their  credit  that  many 
of  them  are  known  to  make  a  ofood  use  of  their  savin-^s, 

o  O 

Their  rise  to  wealth  in  most  cases  has  been  slow  but 
sure,  and  not  without  vicissitudes  of  varying  fortune. 

'  I  one  day  put  my  whole  savings  on  a  single 
chance,'  said  one  of  them  to  the  writer,  '  and  had  it 
not  come  off  in  my  favour,  I  would  probably  have 
needed  to  go  back  to  my  O'd  trade  of  costerraonger- 
iiig,  and  the  missus,  instead  of  riding  about  in  her 
brougham,  might  have  been  shouting  "  Sprats  !"  over 
Lambeth  way.' 

Said  another  bookmaker :  *  I  was  potman  in  a 
West-End  beerhouse  twenty-five  years  ago  near  the 
Corner,  and  what  struck  me  was  that  lots  of  gentle- 
men's coachmen  were  always  asking  me  for  the  loan 
of  a  sovereign  or  a  tiver  to  pay  their  bets  with,  giving 
me  a  small  acknowledgment  for  the  favour  when  they 
got  their  wages.  I  thought  to  myself,  That's  very  odd  : 
these  men  seem  to  be  always  a-dropping  of  their 
money  ;  who  can  be  a-lifting  it  ?  It's  them  bookmakers, 
thinks  I,  and  that  book  making  is  surely  not  a  bad 
game  if  people  be  alwa3-s  a-backing  of  the  wrong  horse. 
So  then  and  there  I  starts  a  little  book,  just  for  silver 
money,  and  I  got  on  so  ^vell  at  the  business  that  I 
gave  up  handling  the  pots,  and  now  I  go  to  the  meet- 
ings with  the  best  of  'em,  and  can  lay  the  odds  to  a  ten 


174  THE  BLUE  RID  HON  OF  THE  TURF. 

or  twenty  pound  note,  and  think  nothing^  of  it.  Only 
fools  buck  horses,  sir ;  wise  men  turn  booJ^rnakers  and 
lay  'em,  and  as  I  know  there  are  a  thousand  fools  for 
every  wise  man.  so  you  see,  sir,  there's  plenty  of  busi- 
ness for  me  and  such  as  me.' 

TL 

The  rationale  of  bookmaking  ma}'  now  be  entered 
upon,  for  the  benefit  of  those  who  know  nothing  about 
it.  Persons  unacquainted  with  the  machinery  of  the 
turf  ate  doubtless  surprised  when  they  learn  fiom  an 
occasional  paiagraph  in  their  daily  newspaper  that 
'  Mr.  So-and-so  has  won  £10,000  by  the  success  of  his 
horse  in  such  and  such  a  race,'  probably  some  handi- 
cap ;  and  not  knowing  how  the  amount  has  been 
gathered  together,  they  at  once  hold  up  their  hands 
in  horror  at  the  awful  sum  of  money  wliicli  some 
\uifortunate  person  must  have  lost.  Even  Canon 
Kingsley,  of  '  Westward  Ho  !'  celebrity,  wap  so  ignorant 
of  ihe  mode  in  which  the  betting  of  the  period  is 
carried  on,  that  he  fancied  and  wrote  as  if  one  man 
betted  with  and  lost  thousands  to  his  brother  man — 
the  Canon  (intelligent  as  he  was)  being  apparently 
iofnorant  of  the  bookmaker  and  his  functions  as  the 
go-between,  or  intermediary,  of  the  forty  oi-  fifty  thou- 
sand persons  who  lose  a  sovereign  each,  and  the  half- 
dozen  fortunate  people  who  each  gain  a  few  hundreds, 
or,  it  may  be,  thousands,  by  backing  the  winner  of 
some  particular  race.  The  mission  of  the  bookmaker 
is  to  gather  in  a. great  sum  of  nioney  in  small  or  large 
sums,  as  the  case  may  be,  over  each  race  that  is  run, 
and  then  to  deal  out  the  amount  in  portions  to  those 


B  O  OKMA  KING.  \  7  5 

persons  who  have  been  so  fortunate  as  to  back  the 
horse  which  wins  the  race. 

The  modus  oj^evandl  of  bookmakino"  and  betting-  as 
it  exists  to-day  may  be  expUiined  as  follows:  A  given 
handicap,  or  other  race,  being  set'for  a  particular  date, 
the  bookmaker  begins  business  by  oft'ering  to  '  lay,'  say, 
by  way  of  illustration,  20  to  1  on  the  field,  '  the  field' 
meaning  the  whole  of  the  horses  engaged  in  the  race. 
There  are  pi-obably  forty  horses  left  in  the  race  after 
tlie  acceptances  for  the  handicap  have  been  declared, 
and  a  })crsnn  may  select  any  one  of  the  lot  he  pleases, 
and  by  pacing  £1,  or  by  promising  to  pay  that 
sum,  he  will  receive  £20  and  (if  he  has  paid  it)  his 
own  pound  back,  if  the  animal  wdiich  he  selects  Avins 
the  race.  It  will  be  apparent  that,  if  every  one  of  the 
forty  horses  which  have  accepted  for  the  handicap 
Avas  to  be  backed  at  20  to  1,  the  bookmaker  would 
have  £40  in  hand  with  which  to  pay  the  £20 
earned  by  the  backer  of  the  winning  horse — a  good 
enough  profit,  it  will  be  thought.  But  the  stiite  of  the 
odds  is  rarely  so  simple  as  has  been  indicated.  The 
public  backers,  or  persons  who  are  '  in  the  know,'  as  it 
is  called,  of  the  form,  private  or  public,  of  some  parti- 
cular horse,  soon  make  it  '  first  favourite,'  by  rushing 
to  back  it  at  lessening  prices,  so  that  in  a  short  time 
the  odds  against  that  particular  animal  are  quoted 
probably  at  5  to  1,  instead  of  20  to  1  ;  others  maj^  be 
priced  at  25,  S3,  or  40  to  1.  Betting  on  the  great 
handicaps  of  the  season  begins  early  and  goes  on  vigor- 
ously to  the  day  of  the  race.  The  following  specification 
of  the  financial  result  will  shov/  the  mode  in  which  the 
bookmaker  squares  his  account  and  realizes  his  profit. 


176  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE   TURF. 

Let  it  bo  supposed,  for  easy  calculation,  that  tho 
bookmaker  has  resolved  to  wager  to  lose  £1000  against 
every  one  of  the  horses  engaged  in  the  race  after  the 
acceptances  have  been  declared,  and  that  he  receives 
no  money  over  tho  horse  that  wins,  or,  if  he  has  been 
betting  for  ready  money,  that  he  has  of  course  to 
return  the  stakes  deposited  on  behalf  of  the  winning 
horse.  His  account  then  may  stand  as  follows  just 
previous  to  the  race  : 

Will   win   if   first   favourite   loses   (laid   at   an 

average  of  5  to  1 ) 
"Will  w'.u  if  second  favouiite  loses  (laid  at  an 

average  of  7  to  1) 
Will   win  if  tliird  favourite   loses   (liiid  at  an 

average  of  8  to  1 ) 
Will  win  if  fonrlb   favourite  loses  (laid  at  an 

average  of  H)  to  1) 
Will  win   if  fifth    favourite   loses  (laid   at  an 

average  of  10  to  1)        - 
W'ill  win  if  all  the  others  lose,  including  those 

scratched,  say  ----- 

The  total  of  these  is     £l,-ii;0     U     0 

If  the  bookmaker  has  been  so  fortunate  as  to  lay  the 
odds  against  all  the  horses  in  the  race,  accordinof  to 
the  above  figures,  he  has,  in  turf  parlance,  '  got  round' 
— in  other  words,  he  has  in  his  book,  if  not  in  his 
pocket,  £1,200  of  field  money  with  which  to  pay  the 
£1,000  he  has  wagered  against  the  winning  horse  ;  but 
it  v.'ill  be  seen  that  if  the  favourite  wins  ho  makes  no 
profit,  as  the  £200  standing  against  it  has  to  be  repaid 
if  it  has  been  received,  or,  if  not  rc'^eived,  it  does  not 
count.  Jn  the  event  of  any  of  the  other  horses  being 
first,  which  is  not  at  all  uncommon — as  first  favourites 
do  not  always   win  the  larger  handicaps— the  book- 


£2^0 

0 

0 

£130 

0 

0 

£120 

0 

0 

£100 

0 

0 

£100 

0 

0 

£o50 

0 

0 

BOOKMAKING.  177 

maker  will  have  a  profit  of  greater  or  lesser  amount ; 
in  other  words,  some  of  the  horses  may  be  only 
backed  to  win  a  few  hundreds,  instead  of  the  whole 
thousand,  while  one  or  two  may  not  be  backed  at  all, 
in  which  case  he  '  skins  the  lamb.' 

These  figures,  however,  must  be  taken  cum  grano 
sails  ;  they  are  merely  given  by  way  of  illustration,  and 
nothing  varies  so  much  as  the  finance  of  a  handicap. 
In  not  a  few  instances  the  bookmaker  finds  it  diflicult 
to  make  ends  meet;  he  is  unable,  that  is,  to  bet  round 
or  lay  against  every  horse,  and  there  may  be  no 
scratchings  to  speak  of.  When  a  few  of  the  leading 
horses — taking  it  for  granted  they  have  been  well 
backed — are  struck  out  of  the  race  at  an  early  date 
('  scratched  '),  it  is  just  so  much  money  found.  Some- 
times the  public  partiality  for  particular  horses  is  so 
pronounced  that  they  will  not  back  more  than  ten 
or  twelve  out  of  the  forty  or  fifty  which  may  have 
accepted  for  the  race.  In  such  a  case,  if  the  book- 
maker has  the  run  of  a  good  market,  he  tries  various 
plans  to  get  laid  against  the  horses  which  are  not 
generally  fancied ;  he  wrll  offer  them  in  lots,  or  in  a 
lump  ;  at  all  events,  he  will  do  his  utmost  to  get  money 
out  of  them.  In  making  a  book  for  a  handicap  of 
importance,  on  which  betting  (all  in)*  begins  months 
before  the  day  fixed  for  the  race,  such  as  the  Lincoln- 
shire Handicap,  Cit}^  and  Suburban,  or  Cesarewitch  and 
Cambridgeshire,  bookmakers  have  numerous  advan- 
tages. Not  to  speak  of  those  horses  which  are  never 
entered,  or  those  which  may  not  accept,  they  have  the 

*  'AH  ill'  means  that  the  backer  takes  the  chance  of  the 
bofse  being  entered. 

12 


173  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

advantnge  of  bao^ging  all  the  money  for  those  animals 
which,  from  various  causes,  are  struck  out  of  the  race. 

When  '  the  favourite/  or  any  other  animal  which 
has  been  prominent  in  the  betting,  is  scratched,  it 
is  the  best  of  all  news  to  the  layer  of  the  odds,  how- 
ever mortifying  it  may  be  to  the  poor  backer.  A 
typical  book  on  a  big  handicap  has  been  given  in  the 
preceding  remarks  as  being  of  the  extent  of  £1,000, 
but  much  larger  books  are  made  ;  all,  however,  are 
made  in  much  the  same  fashion,  and  for  the  £  s.  d.  of 
a  £10,000  book  the  reader  can  multiply  the  figures 
previously  given  by  ten.  It  is  alwa3's  difficult  to 
obtain  exact  knowledge  as  to  the  manipulation  of  some 
of  the  large  books  which  are  nowadays  opened  on 
some  of  the  more  important  races.  Many  of  the  more 
active  of  the  bookmakers  hack  horses  as  well  as  lay 
the  odds  against  them ;  the  f.ict  is,  the  bookmakers  of 
the  perio;l  get  to  know  so  much  that  they  cannot 
restrain  themselves.  One  of  them,  for  instance,  will 
know  that  Sir  George  Blank's  horse  has  been  so 
highly  tried  for  some  given  race  that,  in  the  opinion 
of  his  trainer,  he  cannot  be  beaten  ;  therefore  he  backs 
that  horse  to  win  him  a  thousand  or  two,  and  if  he 
values  the  information  very  highly,  he  *  peppers '  all 
the  others  by  laying  more  against  them  than  he  ought 
to  do.  What  one  bookmaker  does,  many  others  do,  so 
that,  as  a  matter  of  fact,  there  is  no  really  fiiir  and 
square  laying  of  the  odds  to  a  measured  sum ;  on  the 
contrary,  there  is  much  gambling,  and  on  occasions — 
a  necessary  corollary,  as  it  may  be  said — a  sad  break- 
down. 

J3ookmakers,   as  a  rule.,   take   care  to  be  well  in- 


BOOKMAKIXG.  179 

formed  of  what  is  going  on  on  the  training-grounds; 
the}^  are  fed  with  information  either  at  their  own  ex- 
pense or  b}^  their  numerous  chents.  When  a  horse 
Avins  or  loses  a  trial,  they  are  pretty  sure  to  know  the 
fact  before  the  general  body  of  bettors  can  obtain  the 
same  information.  When  a  commission  is  thrown 
into  the  market  they  vor}'-  soon  smell  the  fact ;  but 
they  would  be  dunces,  indeed,  if  the  mere  significance, 
the  constant  demand  to  back  a  horse,  did  not  show 
them  that  the  animal  was  likely  to  become  a  favourite, 
and  in  time  be  backed  at  10  to  1  instead  of  40  to  1  ; 
that  being  so,  they  act  a  cautious  part,  and  perhaps 
finesse  for  a  time,  so  as  to  be  able  to  Iny  the  shortest 
possible  odds. 

It  is  a  remarkable  fact  of  the  betting-ring  that  tens 
of  thousands  of  pounds  change  hands  without  bill  or 
bond.  '  Put  me  down  ten  monkeys,  Iroquois,'  says  a 
bettor  to  a  bookmaker  with  whom  he  bets,  and  the 
bet  is  at  once  entered  in  the  Httle  betting-books  carried 
by  each.  That  is  all — nothing  more  simple,  indeed ; 
but  on  the  Monda}^  after  the  race  the  transaction 
will  be  implemented  by  the  bookmaker  if  the  horse 
■wins  the  race  it  has  been  backed  for ;  whilst  the  backer, 
even  if  he  be  '  broke,'  will  own  to  the  liability.  On 
the  settling-day  of  a  big  race,  or  over  the  transactions 
of  a  heavy  week  at  Goodwood  or  Newmarket,  thousands 
of  pounds  will  change  hands  in  the  most  primitive 
way,  no  receipts  being  asked  for  or  oftered.  The 
balance  entered  in  the  settling-book  when  paid  is 
marked  with  a  X  to  denote  that  it  has  been  paid  ; 
nothing  more  is  necessary.  There  are  men  who  make 
it  their  business  to  settle  for  bettors  who  do  not  find 

12-2 


I  So  T}IE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

it  convenient  to  attend  the  clubs  or  have  not  the 
entn'e.  On  these  setthng-sbeets  will  be  set  down  a. 
host  of  transactions,  no  evidence  being  required  of 
the  making  of  the  bets ;  and  in  most  cases  there  is 
scarcely  an  error,  although,  perhaps,  200  or  300  bets 
will  have  been  made  in'  a  heavy  week  with  half  a 
dozen  different  bookmakers.  '  Have  you  Mr.  Blank's 
account  ?'  will  be  asked.  '  Yes,  I  have  it,'  will  be  the 
answer,  '  How  much  do  you  want  ?'  *  Three-fifty.* 
'  All  right,  there  you  are ;'  and  down  goes  a  X  in  each 
of  the  books,  and  the  affair  is  done  with.  £350  has 
changed  hands  without  any  fuss  or  bother,  and  so  the 
settlements  go  on  year  after  year,  no  bill  or  bond 
being  necessary. 

III. 

As  a  matter  of  course,  '  there  are  bookmakers  mid 
bookmakers ;'  it  has  been  wittily  said  that  if  you 
were  to  skin   a   few   of  them   you  would  find  them 

*  welshers,'  Practices  exist  in  betting  matters  that  are 
little  removed  from  dishonesty.  An  anecdote  regard- 
ing the  betting  transactions  of  a  nobleman  was  recently 
related  that  affords  an  illustration  of  doings  which, 
to  put  the  case  mildly,  are  not  creditable.  On  one 
occasion  the  noble  lord,  it  is  said,  lost  £100  to  a 
certain  bookmaker,  but  in  the  course  of  the  same 
week  won  £3,000  from  him.  On  the  Monday  his  lord- 
ship put  the  £100  he  had  to  pay  in  his  account,  but 
took  no  notice  of  the  £3,000  which  he  had  to  receive. 

*  The  penciller,  thinking  that  his  lordship  had  over- 
looked the  transaction,   and  that  no  more  would  be 


BOOKMAKIXG.  iSi 

heard  about  it,  purchased,  it  is  said,  a  brougham  and  a 
pair  of  horses  as  a  present  for  his  wife,'  A  few  days 
later,  however,  the  bookmaker  and  his  client  happened 
to  meet,  and  whilst  the  peer,  so  the  story  goes  (it  may 
not  be  true,  however),  genially  accepted  a  glass  of 
sherry,  ho  took  care  to  remind  the  man  of  odds  of 
the  £3  000,  '  observing  that  he  had  not  asked  for  it  on 
the  Monda}',  as  it  might  have  cramped  his  debtor  in 
his  settling' 

Readers  may  place  what  construction  they  please 
on  this  mode  of  conducting  business,  but  it  is  quite 
certain  that,  if  his  lordship  had  lost  his  bet  instead  of 
winning  it,  the  stake  would  have  been  carefully  asked 
for.  The  bookmaker  who  dealt  with  the  nobleman 
referred  to  was  not,  however,  a  bit  worse  than  many 
of  his  brethren  of  the  pencil.  '  What  do  I  owe  you  V 
they  ask.  If  you  name  a  smaller  sum  than  the 
correct  amount,  it  is  not  their  business  to  keep  you 
right.  That  is  their  argument.  Moreover,  they  reply, 
'  If  we  make  a  blunder  we  have  just  to  suffer  for  it ;  no 
one  who  may  be  paid  a  tenner  too  much  ever  says  a 
word  about  it.'  As  the  bookmaker  has  it,  it  is  a  case  of 
diamond  cut  diamond.  Other  sins  of  a  still  more 
heinous  nature  are  not  seldom  laid  at  the  door  of 
the  bookmaker. 

1  he  hero  of  the  anecdote  just  referred  to  was  on 
some  occasions  a  very  heavy  speculator  on  the  turf, 
making  every  now  and  then  bets  to  win  or  lose  large 
sums  of  money,  wagering,  for  instance,  £3,000  to  win 
£5,000,  or  vice  versa,  and  not  seldom  proving 
victorious.  The  final  transaction  on  the  turf  of  this 
gentleman    was   ri;:king   £10,000  to  win  £4,000,  the 


1 82  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

instrument  of  this  particular  gamble  being  a  cele- 
brated raco-horse  of  the  period.  His  lordship  on  that 
occasion  lost  his  money,  and  was  not  slow  to  assert 
that  he  had  been 'done.'  The  occurrence  was  much 
talked  about,  and  assertions  were  made  (probably  with- 
out much  foundation  in  fact)  that  some  persons 
were  implicated  in  the  transaction  from  whom  better 
behaviour  might  have  been  expected.  The  hints 
thrown  out  were,  generally  speaking,  to  the  effect 
that  the  race  in  question,  if  it  had  not  been  'got  up' 
for  his  lordship,  ended  in  the  liorse  backed  by  him 
being  made  what  in  turf  parlance  is  called  a  '  safe  one.' 
£10,000  was  a  nice  plum  to  pluck,  and  would  bear  a 
good  deal  of  dividing.  Many  such  events  come  under 
the  knowledge  of  bookmakers,  and  owners  of  horses 
who  associate  with  them  for  '  business '  purposes. 

It  may  be  taken  for  granted  by  those  who  have 
never  ventured  behind  the  scenes  of  turf  speculation, 
that  the  bookmaker,  of  the  two,  always  knows  more 
than  the  backer.  It  must  be  so.  The  boolanaker  is 
constantly  being  inspired,  even  by  those  who  come  to 
take  the  odds  from  him.  When  any  of  the  big 
handicaps  are  imminent,  owners  come  to  the  book- 
maker to  back  their  horses.  He  hears  from  them  the 
strength  of  the  trials  which  have  taken  place  :  Damon, 
a  three-year-old,  he  learns,  is  better  thun  Pythias,  a 
four-year-old,  and  as  Pythias  lately  beat  Castor  in  an 
important  race,  he  thus  obtains  a  valuable  clue  to  work 
by ;  no  woijder  he  is  alert  in  laying  the  odds  against 
CJastor  and  one  or  two  other  horses  which  he  knows 
have  no  chance  of  winning.  Then  again,  as  often  as  not, 
he  has  '  dead  ones  '  to  lay  against — horses  that  might 


BOOI'MAKING.  1S3 

■u'in  the  race  but  avIU  not  run,  or  if  they  do,  will  not 
for  some  reason  be  permitted  to  do  their  best.  It  is 
any  odds,  under  such  circumstances,  against  the  every- 
day backer — he  is  bound  to  fail.  He  may,  as  the 
saying  goes,  '  tumble '  to  the  situation  in  the  end,  and 
so  save  him.self  by  finding  the  pea ;  but  it  is  vain  to 
fight  against  the  bookmaker,  who  has  many  un- 
suspected agencies  at  work  to  supplj'  him  with  infor- 
mation ;  he  knows,  often  enough  before  the  owner  of 
the  animal  himself,  when  a  horse  has  been  beaten  in 
its  trial  or  has  broken  down  at  exercise,  and  is  prompt 
on  all  such  occasions  to  make  quick  use  of  his 
knowledge.  Many  a  time  does  the  poor  backer  crow 
at  having,  as  he  thinks,  got  good  odds  to  his  stake, 
but  in  the  end  the  bookmaker  has  all  the  profit. 


WHO  SETS  THE  MARKET? 

I. 

As  to  the  amount  of  betting  which  now  takes  place 
on  the  great  popular  race  of  the  season,  who  can  put 
it  down  in  '  exact  figures '?  Certainly  not  the  present 
writer.  It  is  being  said  that  betting  on  the  Derby  is 
not  what  it  used  to  be,  and,  perhaps,  in  some  respects 
it  is  not ;  but  the  amount  of  money  which  changes 
hands  is  certainly  not  less  than  it  was  forty  or  fifty 
years  since.  Individual  bets  may  not  be  so  large, 
but  that  is  made  up  for  by  the  multiplicity  of  small 
sums  ventured  on  the  race.  Thousands  of  persons 
are  betting  a  little  in  these  days  for  the  hundreds 
who  gambled  on  the  result  of  the  Derby  half  a 
century  ago  ;  and  for  each  hundred  who  made  '  books ' 
on  the  race  in  the  year  1835,  there  are  now,  in  all 
probability,  a  thousand  at  the  same  busijiess.  It 
would  not,  probably,  be  an  exaggeration  to  say  that 
for  the  next  race  lour  or  five  of  the  competing  horses 
will  be  bucked,  or  have  been  backed,  to  win,  by  their 
owners,  their  friends,  and  the  gt neral  public,  at  least 
a  quarter  of  a  million  sterling,  whilst  one  or  two 
animals  which  have  been  struck  out — 'scratched  '  is  the 
phrase — and  the  remainder  of  the  animals  that  will 


WHO  SETS  THE  MARKET?  1S5 

run,  will  also  have  been  supported  to  win  a  good 
round  sum  of  money.  The  falling  off  in  what  may  be 
designated  '  big  betting'  is  only  what  was  to  be  ex- 
pected in  the  face  of  the  changed  surroundings  of  the 
Derby,  inasmuch  as  the  '  form '  of  the  horses  com- 
prising the  field  is  so  well  known  by  means  of  their 
j^revious  performances  that,  as  a  rule,  very  short  odds 
only  can  be  obtained  from  the  bookmakers  about 
animals  likely  to  win,  and  even  very  sanguine  bettors 
pause  before  taking  2  or  3  to  1,  to  hundreds  of  pounds  ; 
such  odds  not  being  tempting  to  rncn  who  like  big 
prices,  and  who  in  consequence  elect  to  bet  on  one  or 
other  of  the  big  handicaps  of  the  season  at  rates 
ranging  from  100  to  8  to  K-O  to  2|.  Many  persons 
prefer  to  '  try  their  luck  '  in  a  '  sweepstake,'  and 
willingly  risk  their  sovereign  in  the  purchase  of  a 
ticket  which  mic^dit  result  in  their  winninof  £100, 
should  they  be  fortunate  enough  to  draw  the 
first  prize,  rather  than  back  one  of  the  favorites  to  win 
a  couple  of  pounds.  It  is  seldom  'dark'  horses  win 
the  Derbj',  but  there  are  still  a  few  men  who  back 
outsiders  :  '  It  feels  so  nice,'  they  say,  '  to  have  33  to  1 
about  a  horse  that  may  win.'  Unfortunately  for 
them,  however,  such  bets  seldom  put  money  in  their 
pockets. 

In  noting  the  prices  offered  against  the  chances  of 
the  various  horses,  either  in  the  Derby  or  any  other 
race,  the  question  at  once  presents  itself.  Who  fixes 
the  '  odds,'  or,  in  turf  parlance,  '  Sf  ts  the  market '? 

In  many  cases  the  public  make  their  own  market ; 
in  others  the  market  is  set  by  one,  or  in  cases  by  two 
or  three,  of  the  more  long-headed  bookmakers.     It  is 


l?6  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

amusing  at  some  race  meetings  to  note  what  takes 
place  ill  tliis  matter  of  regulating  the  prices  of 
different  horses.  It  may  be  taken  for  granted,  of 
course,  that  the  persons  most  interested,  namely,  the 
bookmakers,  take  good  care  of  themselves,  and  never 
by  any  chance  make  a  mistake  in  naming  prices 
that  are  too  liberal.  At  a  race  m^eetins:,  the  moment 
the  numbers  are  exhibited  for  a  small  race,  say  a 
field  of  from  four  to  seven  horses,  a  stentorian  voice 
may  be  heard  to  shout '  Six  to  four  on  the  field  !'  which 
'sets  the  market'  for  the  race,  and  immediateW  all 
the  leatlicr-lunged  community  of  hxyers  of  '  the  odds' 
will  bo  heard  singing  the  same  song,  probably  varying 
their  offers  with  '  Two  to  one  bar  one,'  which  means 
that  the  price  of  the  second  favourite  is  two  to  one  ; 
whilst  another  may  be  at  odds  of  four,  and  another  at 
five  to  one.  The  announcement  of  six  to  four  on  the 
field,  or  whatever  the  initial  price  may  bo  fixed  at, 
is  often  enough  purely  capricious,  having  no  relation 
whatever  to  the  m.crits  or  chance  of  the  horse  in  the 
race  about  to  be  decided  ;  it  is  a  custom  of  the  business 
to  offer  such  odds — use  and  wont,  in  fact — and  all 
follow  the  first  shout. 

These  or  similar  odds  are  proclaimed  over  and  over 
again,  day  by  daj',  as  i-acing  progresses,  no  matter 
whether  they  prove  true  or  false.  That  such  is  the 
case  the  following  anecdote  will  prove  : 

A  friend  of  the  writer's  having  been  often  struck 
with  the  stereot^'ped  and  parsimonious  character  of 
the  prices  oli'ered  at  one  or  two  of  the  great  race 
meetings,  and  not  being  able  to  ascertain  fi-om  any 
one    present    the  reasons  which  governed  the  offers. 


WHO  SETS  THE  MARKET?  1S7 

resolved  on  a  particular  occasion  to  try  a  practical 
joke  on  the  assembled  bookmakers.  lie  arranged  on 
two  different  days  that  a  '  pal '  of  his  should  try  to 
'  set  the  market,'  and  he  succeeded  in  doing  so.  In 
one  of  the  races  agreed  upon,  four  horses  were  ulti- 
mately numbered  on  the  board ;  and  as  soon  as  the 
third  one  was  placed,  the  person  in  question  shouted 
in  the  usual  stentorian  fashion,  *  Five  to  two  on  the 
field !'  '  Yes,'  replied  a  group  of  bookmakers  near 
him,  'five  to  tvvo  on  the  field;'  and,  extraordinary  as 
it  may  seem,  the  large  fiock  of  professional  miCn  who 
were  present  went  on  with  their  business  on  the  foun- 
dation tluis  given,  whilst  it  was  really  a  case  of  'even 
money'  being  the  proper  price  as  regards  one  of  the 
horses  compct'ng  ni  the  race,  the  one  which,  in  this 
event,  actually  won  the  race,  and  the  owner  of  which 
was  so  surprised  at  the  liberal  nature  of  the  odds 
offered,  that  he  at  length  became  chary  of  accepting 
the  price,  thinking  the  bookmakers  knew  'something' 
against  the  horse  that  he  was  unacquainted  with. 

The  other  was  a  very  marked  case,  and  showed  con- 
clusively that  the  rank  and  file  of  bookmakei's  bet  by 
practice,  and  disregard  principle.  The  saroe  tactics 
were  adopted :  a  field  of  seven  horses  was  displayed  on 
the  board ;  and  just  before  it  was  hoisted  into  its 
position,  the  sliam  bookmaker,  pencil  in  hand,  bawled 
out,  'I'll  take  odds !'  which  meant  that  the  backers  of 
the  horse  which  was  thus  made  favourite  Avould  have 
to  risk  £G  to  win  £4 — 'I'll  take  six  to  four'  being 
shouted  all  over  the  paddock ;  and  there  were  plenty  of 
inconsiderate  fools  who  backed  the  favourite  at  the  rate 
of  odds  mentioned,  while  in  reality  the  figure  should 


1 83  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

have  probably  been  2  to  1,  or  even  more,  against  its 
chance,  as  the  horse  never  showed  prominently  in  the 
race,  which  vras  won  by  an  animal  so  little  fancied  by 
baclcers  that  IG  to  1  was  actually  laid  against  its  chance. 

When  there  is  sufficient  time,  even  in  the  space  of 
three  or  four  minutes  sometimes,  '  the  market,'  as  the 
saying  goes,  '  will  revolutionize  itself'  and  the  horse 
Avhich  was  made  favourite  be  relec^ated  to  a  lonq"  price, 
some  other  animal  being  promoted  to  the  post  of 
honour.  It  is  difficult  to  give  a  reason  for  this,  other 
than  one  given  to  the  writer  b}^  a  hanger-on  at  race- 
meetings,  who  has  acquired  considerable  knowledge  of 
such  matters. 

'  You  see,  sir,'  he  said,  '  it's  the  money  as  does  it  all. 
It's  fine  business,  it  is,  Avhen  a  man  has  laid  forty  to 
sixty  agin  a  horse  as  goes  back  to  five  to  one,  and  is 
then  able  to  lay  fifty  to  forty,  or  mayhap  even  money, 
agin  another  as  comes  with  a  rush  acause  of  its  being 
heavily  backed  by  its  owner.  In  that  case,  you  see, 
sir,  he  has  a  century  any  way  in  his  book,  if  neither  o' 
the  two  win,  and  has  other  four  all  a  running  for  him 
at  some  sort  o'  odds  ;  and  if  he  has  booked  a  matter 
o'  sixty  quid  (pounds)  for  them,  he  is  sure  to  get 
round  with  a  big  profit.  Only  one  horse  can  come  in 
first,  you  know,  sir,  and  that  is  the  one  he's  got  to  pay 
over ;  and,  of  course,  if  he's  a-doin'  for  "  the  ready," 
he  has  to  give  back  the  stake.  The  reason  as  how 
horses  come  and  go  is  that  a  cute  owner,  thinking  the 
horse  he  has  entered  in  the  race  can  beat  all  the 
others,  waits  till  he  sees  a  good  favourite  made  before 
he  backs  his  own  horse,  and  then  he  goes  and  puts  on 
a  couple  of  monkeys  (£1,000)  with  one  of  the  big  pen- 


WHO  SETS  THE  MARKET f  '       1S9 

cillers,  such  as  Fry  or  Peecli ;  and  then  tliera  cute 
ones  send  their  agents  round  the  ring,  and  get  their 
money  back  by  backing  the  horse  with  the  Httle  men, 
taking  a  bit  for  themselves  if  they  think  the  horse  a 
likely  one  to  win.  If  three  or  four  owners  each  back 
their  "  <^ee'^QQ  "  to  win  "  the  odds,"  to  a  monkey  or  two, 
the  price  is  sure  to  come  to  a  short  figure ;  and  that's 
how  it  all  comes  about,' 

An  old-fashioned  bookmaker  gave  the  following 
explanation  of  how.  the  prices  are  fixed  :  *  No  Liyer  of 
the  odds  needs  to  trouble  himself  about  the  matter, 
for  the  best  of  all  reasons — namely,  that  the  public 
make  their  own  prices.  I  shout,  "The  field  a  pony"  ; 
and  when  a  backer  comes  up,  I  say,  "  Even  money," 
against  his  choice,  no  matter  what  horse  he  names. 
Should  he  take  the  price,  then  I  think  he  knows 
something,  and  in  less  than  a  minute  there  will  be  a 
favourite  made.  After  that  the  rest  is  easy  enough  : 
I  just  try  to  bet  round,  so  as  to  be  safe ;  and  occasion- 
ally, as  you  know,  one  that  has  not  been  backed  for  a 
penny  romps  home  to  the  winning-post,  and  the  race 
is  over.' 

So  far  as  they  go,  the  foregoing  remarks  give  a 
pretty  fair  explanation  of  how  the  odds  are  fixed  ;  but 
■what  has  to  be  made  still  |)lainer  is  the  great  fact 
that  '  the  market,'  in  the  majority  of  instances,  does 
not  represent  with  any  degree  of  faithfulness  the 
quality  of  a  horse,  or  its  ability  to  win  a  given  race. 

The  odds  offered  on  the  race-course  have  often 
about  as  much  relation  to  the  chances  of  the  animal 
as  the  price  of  railway  stock  has  to  the  financial  con- 
dition of  a  railway,  and  its  ability  to  declare  a  certain 


iQo  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

dividend.  As  a  rule,  which,  however,  hke  other  rides, 
is  not  without  its  exceptions,  the  '  form,'  or  winning 
abiUty,  of  all  horses  which  have  run  in  races  is  known, 
so  that  their  chances  of  winning  can  be  pretty  well 
estimated.  When,  therefore,  seven  horses  are  brought 
together  to  compete  in  one  or  other  of  the  commoner 
or  smaller  handicaps  of  the  time,  bettors  make  it  their 
business  to  '  weigh  up  '  the  merits,  or  demerits,  as  the 
case  may  be,  of  each  of  the  competitors,  the  perform- 
ances of  the  different  horses  being  hefore  them  in  the 
printed  guides  to  the  turf,  with  the  view  of  backing 
whichever  horse  has,  in  their  opinion,  the  best  chance 
of  winning  the  race.  Well,  what  ought  the  odds  to  be 
against  any  given  horse,  and  how  should  the  odds  be 
determined  ? 

It  used  to  be  said  of  a  certain  bookmaker,  clever  at 
figures  and  quick  at  setting  the  market,  that  he  em- 
ployed a  Cambridge  man  to  fix  the  prices  for  him,  and 
that  it  was  done  according  to  the  doctrine  of  pro 
babilities.  That,  of  course,  was  somewhat  of  a  joke  ; 
but  one  would  almost  think,  so  quickly  are  prices 
fixed  and  so  glibly  run  off  the  tongue,  that  the  merits 
of  each  horse,  or  rather  its  chance  of  winning  a  given 
race,  had  been  appraised  on  mathematical  principles. 
No  such  thing  in  reality  happens,  and  the  prices 
quoted,  it  may  be  safely  asserted,  are  in  every  sense 
*  fancy  prices '  offered  on  the  spur  of  the  moment. 
In  a  race  for  which  seven  or  eight  horses  are  brought 
to  the  post,  prices  may  range  from  perhaps  7  to  4  to 
20  to  1.  If  the  race  is  a  handicap,  the  weights  appor- 
tioned to  the  different  competitors  are  supposed,  in 
t'leory,  at  least,  to  render  the  chance  of  every  animal 


WHO  SETS  THE  MARKET?  191 

in  the  race  equal :  one  horse  may  he  apporlioncd  a 
weight  of  8  st.  12  lb.,  whilst  another  may  have  only 
7  St.  4  lb,  to  carry  ;  another  may  have  6  st.  10  lb., 
whilst  the  lowest  weight  borne  in  the  race  may  be 
5  St.  7  lb.  Although  the  handicapper  does  his  very 
best  to  adjust  the  weights  so  as,  in  his  opinion,  to 
equalize  the  chances  of  all,  it  is  exceedingly  difficult 
for  him  to  succeed  in  doing  so,  for  even  in  the  smallest 
races  horses  have  been  known  to  have  a  weight  appor- 
tioned to  them  not  in  accordance  with  their  merit,  and 
in  consequence  backers  who  attend  daily  meetings 
have  frequently  to  speculate  in  the  dark,  having  to 
contend  aiirainst  unknown  factors  brouij-ht  into  the 
account  without  their  knowledge. 

Some  bookmakers  simply  '  gamble '  on  the  smaller 
daily  races.  '  Others  may  bet  to  figures,'  said  one  of 
these  gentlemen  recently  on  being  interviewed.  '  I 
don't.  I  know  very  well  the  favourite  is  as  often 
beaten  as  not,  therefore  I  lay  against  the  favourite  with 
all  my  might,  and  against  every  other  horse  as  well; 
but  I  do  like  to  lay  the  favourite  when  it  is  at  a  short 
price.  When  it  is  five  to  four  or  even  money  against 
a  horse,  if  the  betting  is  at  all  brisk,  and  there  be 
half  a  dozen  or  eight  running,  you  can  get  a  power  of 
mone}^  into  your  book  if  you  are  not  afraid.  The  great 
fact  to  bear  in  mind  in  betting  is  that  there  is  often  a 
'dark'  horse  that  may  win.  You  may  be  "had,"  of 
course,  over  the  '  dark '  one  ;  but  then  you  have  all  the 
money  received  for  the  favourite  and  the  others  Avith 
which  to  pay.  Favourites,  I  have  calculated,  do  not 
win  oftener  than  twice  in  five  times — in  fact,  not  quite 
so  often  by  a  fraction.     Acting  on  that  theory,  I  simj)ly 


192  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

gamble  clay  by  day,  and  it  pays  me  to  do  so.  The 
small  prices  which  we  lay,  you  see,  are  greatly  in  our 
favour.  I  sometimes  gamble  as  well  on  the  larger 
handicaps,  at  the  post  especially,  when  they  back  six 
or  seven  at  pretty  fair  prices.  I  won  some  money  by 
laying  against  Todhunter  at  Liverpool.  The  price  of 
that  animal  was  seven  to  two ;  it  had  become  first 
favourite,  an  1  was  most  extensively  backed,  but  made 
no  show  in  the  race.  As  the  reporters  said,  it  never 
looked  dangerous,  and  was  well  beaten  throughout.  I 
considered  that  another  horse,  with  Archer  on  its  back, 
had  the  best  claim  to  support.  From  its  previous  per- 
formance it  was  second  favourite,  and  I  also  laid  as 
much  as  I  could  against  it ;  but  the  people  seemed 
crazed  about  Todhunter.  We  were  near  "  skinning  the 
lamb,"  as  the  race  was  won  by  a  short  head  only,  the 
odds  against  the  second  horse  being  20  to  1  ;  the 
horse  which  was  placed  third  started  at  16  to  1.  Races 
often  result  in  that  way,  so  that  one  cannot  help 
gamblino^  a  little  on  such  occasions.  Then,  you  know. 
I  sometimes  get  into  a  good  thing  when  there  is  a 
**  plant "  on  in  which  any  of  my  training  friends  are 
interested.' 

II. 

Some  of  the  bigger  frauds  and  chicaneries  of  the 
turf  would  require  to  be  discussed  at  length  ;  but  the 
ever3'-day  frauds,  which  in  one  way  or  other  affect 
the  state  of  the  odds,  may  be  alluded  to  in  passing. 

Frequently  a  *  plant '  is  arranged  to  come  oti'  in  con- 
nection with  some  of  the  little  handicaps,  or,  to  put 
the  case  in  plain  English,  when  it  is  found  that  a  horse 


IVIIO  SETS  THE  MARKET?  193 

quietly  reserved  for  a  particular  event  has  been 
awarded  a  weight  that  will  make  iuS  victory  as 
nearly  as  may  be  a  foregone  conclusion,  a  coup  will  be 
planned.  In  a  case  of  this  kind,  the  better  to  improve 
the  occasion,  two  or  three  of  the  leading  bookmakers 
are  often  taken  into  the  confidence  of  owner  and 
trainer.  The  market,  if  possible,  will  be  set  in  such 
fashion  as  to  make  a  particular  horse  favourite  in 
order  that  a  good  price  may  the  more  readily  be  ob- 
tained against  the  '  planted '  animal.  Those  not  in 
'  the  know '  become  the  sufferers,  and  wonder  how  it 
occurs  that  the  nag,  about  which  they  hastened  to 
take  5  to  4,  could  possibly  be  beaten  by  a  horse  that 
started  at  8  to  1,  and,  to  ail  appearance,  had  not  been 
backed  by  anybody.  The  bookmakers  in  the  secret 
would,  as  the  saying  goes,  field  heavily  against  the 
other  horses  in  the  r^ice,  and  so  be  able  to  accommo- 
date the  owner  of  the  winner  with  a  crood  big"  sum  at 
a  fair  price.  Such  is  one  way  of  'sophisticating 
the  odds,'  and  fleecing  the  outside  racing  public. 
No  backer  of  horses,  however  astute  or  experi- 
enced he  may  be,  can  contend  against  such  practices 
■ — practices  which  are  reputed  to  be  of  frequent  occur- 
rence. 

So  far,  the  rate  of  odds  incidental  to  every-day  races 
have  only  been  treated  of.  As  L>gards  the  two 
greatest  handicaps  of  the  season,  and  other  important 
events  of  the  same  kind,  the  odds  offered  for  the 
acceptance  of  backers  are  still  more  fanciful  and  un- 
just than  in  the  case  of  the  smaller  races.  Long 
before  the  '  entries  '  are  due  for  the  Cesarewitch  and 
Cambridgeshire,  and  therefore  long  before  it  can  be 

13 


194  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF, 

known,  except  to  persons  more  immediately  con- 
cerned, whether  or  not  a  particuhir  horse  will  be 
entered,  50  to  1  ma}^  be  had  against  any  animal  for  the 
long  race  (the  Cesarewitch),  and  ^^  to  1  against  any 
one  animal  for  the  Cambridgeshire,  which  means  in 
plain  language  that  the  bookmaker  will  give  Z\i^  to 
tlie  person  who  can  name  the  wanning  horse — £1 
being  the  forfeit  of  non-success. 

These  figures  may  seem  to  denote  a  liberal  price, 
but  in  reality  do  not,  for  if  even  200  to  1  were  offered, 
it  would  not  in  all  probability  covur  the  chance  of  the 
animal  selected.  In  the  first  place,  the  horse  chosen 
may  not  be  entered  for  the  race ;  in  the  second  place, 
if  entered,  the  ovv-ner  ma}  be  dissatisfied  with  the  weight 
assigned  to  it,  and  in  consequence  not  accept;  in  the 
third  place,  if  accepiance  should  be  declared,  the  horse 
may  not  be  started  in  the  race  ;  and  in  the  fourth  place, 
should  it  actually  take  part  m  the  struggle,  it  may  not 
prove  the  winner.  Of  these  two  races,  after  the  handi- 
cap is  published  (that  is,  when  the  weight  to  be  carried 
by  each  horse  has  been  signified)  the  public  bettors 
may  be  said  themselves  to  '  make '  the  prices ;  indeed, 
long  before  the  weights  have  been  iixed  a  favourite 
has  frequently  been  well  established.  The  bookmaker 
very  soon  finds  out  for  which  hor>.e  backers  evince  a 
preference,  and  as  it  continues  to  be  backed  he  gradu- 
ally reiluces  the  odds.  In  the  slang  of  the  turf  it  has 
been  called  a  '  mug's  game '  to  back  horses  for  any 
race  previous  to  the  acceptances' being  declared,  but  it 
is  a  game  jrom  wdiich  the  votaries  of  the  turf  cannot 
be  weaned.  They  come  to  '  the  scratch '  year  after 
year  to  obtain  the  so-called  '  long  prices,'  and  season 


WHO  SETS  THE  MARKET?  195 

after  season  in  time  to  come  they  will  doubtless  return 
to  their  vomit. 

The  Cesarewitch,  as  has  been  indicated,  is  a  long- 
distance race,  the  course  over  which  it  is  run  being 
two  miles  and  a  quarter  in  length,  and  the  reason 
given  by  the  bookmakers  for  fixing  the  initial  rate  of 
odds  against  the  field  at  50  to  1  only  is  that  so  very 
few  horses  can  successfully  travel  the  distance,  that 
those  which  can  do  so  are  sure  to  be  '  spotted  '  by  the 
backers,  and  be  heavily  invested  upon.  It  is  not  odds 
of  10  to  1,  they  say,  against  certain  of  the  horses  if 
they  should  be  entered  and  not  be  overweighted. 
There  is  a  grain  of  truth  in  the  protest,  but  a  grain 
only,  for  the  race  has  been  oftener  than  once  secured 
by  a  horse  carrying  a  weight  which  it  was  thought 
would  prevent  its  gaining  a  victory.  It  has  likewise 
been  won  by  horses  never  thought  of  before  the  entries, 
as  Primrose  Day,  and  the  merits  of  which  were  perhaps 
only  discovered  ten  days  before  the  race,  so  that  on 
the  whole  the  bettors  who  take  the  odds  have  usually 
the  worst,  and  the  bookmakers  who  lay  the  odds  tlio 
best  of  the  bargain,  no  matter  how  liberal  the  price 
ma}^  be  that  is  offei'ed.  It  has  to  be  taken  into  account 
also  that  the  race  is  often  enough  won  by  a  horse 
which  has  been  kept  and  'worked'  for  the  race — a 
horse  that  only  the  trainer  and  owner  will  know  the 
merits  of,  the  public,  when  possible,  being  kept  in  the 
dark,  so  that  those  immediately  connected  Avith  the 
stable  may  obtain  an  enhanced  price.  This  is  a  phate 
of  turf  chicanery  often  practised. 

As  a  rule,  the  la3-er  of  the  odds  against  the  chances 
of  individual  horses  has  a  long  way  the  best  of  the 


196  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OE  THE  TURF. 

bargain.  He  is  pretty  sure  (it  is  his  business)  to 
hnoiv  more  than  the  backers ;  he  may,  for  instance, 
know  that  the  horse  backed  is  not  ultimately  intended 
to  run  in  that  particular  race.  Tlie  bookmaker,  it 
may  be  afhrmed,  plays  the  game  with  loaded  dice. 
'  I  had  one  year,'  said  a  bookmaker  to  a  friend,  '  nine 
horses  to  lay  agaiiid  for  the  Cambridgeshire  after  the 
accej)tances  were  declared,  and  as  two  of  these  became 
pretty  hot  favourites,  I  made  a  good  bit  of  money  out 
of  them.'  Sixty-six  to  one  is  a  niggardly  price  to  lay 
when  all  the  contingencies  that  may  prevent  a  horse 
winning  are  taken  into  account.  The  fortunate  per- 
sons who  by  a  stroke  of  good  luck  find,  after  the  race 
has  been  decided,  that  they  have  selected  the  winning 
horse  at  the  long  odds  may  rest  assured  they  have  not 
received  value  for  their  m.oney,  gratifying  for  the  time 
as  may  be  the  result.  Of  the  120  horses  entered  for 
the  race,  only  seventy  may  have  accepted,  and  out  of 
the  fifty  non-acceptors  probably  fifteen  will  have  been 
pretty  well  backed,  in  addition  to  which  several  horses 
will  have  been  pretty  heavily  supported  than  did  not 
enter.  Then,  again,  before  the  day  of  the  race  half 
a  dozen  of  the  horses  after  becoming  pretty  good 
favourites  will  be  '  scratched  ' ;  that  is,  struck  out  of 
the  contest,  all  of  which  occurrences,  while  they  favour 
the  bookmaker,  are  the  reverse  of  favourable  to  the 
backers,  but  are  important  factors  in  regulating  the 
state  of  the  odds. 

The  Cambridgeshire  is  a  much  more  important  race 
than  the  Cesare witch,  as  far  as  betting  is  concerned, 
and,  as  has  been  stated,  the  initial  odds  against  naming 
the  wmner  are  ucually  fixed  at  Q6  to  1,  and  well  may 


JJ7:0  SETS  THE  MARKET f  197 

they  be  so,  seeing  that  over  160  horses  maybe  entered 
for  com^ietition,  whilst  a  dozen  of  horses  perhaps  will 
be  supported  to  Avin  considerable  sums  that  may  not 
be  entered.  As  illustratinir  what  the  odds  ouqht  to 
be,  the  case  may  be  stated  as  follows  :  Horses  entered, 
i60;  of  which  pretty  heavily  backed,  40;  more  or 
less  heavily  backed,  but  not  entered,  say  15  ;  ac- 
cepted, 90 ;  proportion  of  those  heavily  backed  which 
accepted,  15. 

The  bookmakers,  therefore,  so  far  as  the  Cambridg.^.- 
shire  is  concerned,  have  had  175  horses  to  work  with, 
forty  of  which  (including  the  fifteen  never  entered) 
must  have  laid  a  capital  foundation  for  a  proiitable 
book  on  the  termination  of  the  race.  Well,  then, 
under  such  circumstances,  and  in  view  of  the  above 
figures,  Avhat  ought  to  be  the  initial  odds  ?  in  plain 
language,  how  should  the  market  be  set  to  give  in- 
tending bettors  fair  play  ?  It  looks  on  the  face  of  the 
case  that  even  100  to  1  would  be  nothing  like  a  fair  ofi'er, 
considering  that  the  horse  which  wins  the  race  has 
frequently  started  at  long  odds.  If  bettors  were  less 
foolish,  if  the}''  had  more  brains  than  money,  they 
would  refuse  even  100  to  1  as  the  inkial  odds  for  such 
a  race  as  the  Cambridgeshire.  According  to  a  roug^h- 
and  ready  estimate  of  the  real  odds,  if  there  can  bo 
such  a  thing  as  real  odds  in  the  case,  the  initial  price 
against  each  horse,  if  not  fixed  at  200  to  1,  should  at 
the  least  be  fixed  at  the  number  of  entries,  taking  for 
guidance,  say,  the  average  number  enteied  in  the  five 
preceding  years  ;  say,  by  way  of  example,  160  to  1,  a  rate 
of  (initial)  odds  that  would  certainly  not  be  excessive. 

In  the  matter  of  setting  the  market  on  big  races, 


198  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

backers  have  themselves  to  blame  for  the  poverty- 
stricken  prices  which  they  obtain.  It  has  been  argued, 
in  considering  the  prices  offered  against  horses  running 
in  small  handicaps,  that  the  price  oiight  to  be  governed 
on  the  principle  of  placing  the  balls  used  in  pool  (bil- 
liards) in  a  wicker  bottle,  and  then  betting  as  to  which 
colour  will  come  out  first ;  but  there  is  a  striking  differ- 
ence  to  be  considered:  billiard-balls  are  dead  and  inert; 
horses,  on  the  contrary,  are  alive  and  active,  so  are 
their  jockeys,  whilst  their  owners  and  trainers  have 
always  a  potent  voice  as  to  what  the  conduct  of  their 
horse  in  the  race  shall  be.  Billiard-balls,  it  may  be 
taken  for  granted,  are  always  in  the  same  condition; 
horses  are  not,  neither  are  their  owners  and  trainers 
always  in  a  winning  mood.  It  can  never,  therefore, 
be  a  case  of  similar  odds  to  the  appearance  of  a  parti- 
cular billiard-ball,  whilst  the  influence  of  the  betting 
public  must,  as  a  matter  of  course,  affect  the  prices 
offered ;  but  the  bookmakers  have  always  this  advan- 
tage, that  while  one,  or  even  two,  out  of  seven  horses 
may  be  heavily  backed  for  a  handicap  or  other  race, 
only  one  can  win ;  if  the  favourite  starts  at  even 
money,  the  bookiflaker  has  the  chance  of  one  of  the 
other  six  winning  the  race.  Moreover,  the  horse 
which  has  been  backed  to  win  the  least  amount  of 
money  may  prove  the  victor,  or  the  winner's  name 
may  not  have  been  mentioned  in  the  betting,  in  which 
case  the  bookmaker  will  'skin  the  lamb,'  In  setting 
the  market,  the  jbim  displayed  by  a  horse  is  said  to  be 
carefully  taken  into  account;  but  curiously  enough,  in 
races  in  which  it  is  the  rule  for  all  horses  to  carry  an 
equal  weiL;ht,  better  prices  arc  sometimes  obtained  by 


IVHO  SETS  THE  MARKET?  199 

the  backer  than  in  the  case  of  handicaps  in  which 
ever}'  horse  has,  as  the  case  may  be  put,  a  ditferent, 
impost  on  its  back,  and  in  which  the  correct  form  of 
nearly  every  horse  li]\:ely  to  compete  is  known,  or 
through  collateral  running  may  be  estimated. 


III. 

Many  persons  who  take  for  granted  things  that  do 
not  occur,  and  who  believe  in  that  kind  of  racing 
superstition  which  would  ahva3's  give  the  victory  to 
the  favourite,  and  who  never  think  of  inquiring 
minutely  for  themselves,  will  be  a  little  surprised  to 
learn  that  even  in  the  classic  races,  where,  as  has  been 
hinted,  the  form  of  all  the  runners  can  be  perfectly 
well  ascertained,  the  odds  at  the  start,  over  a  series  of 
years,  averaofe  a  rather  hirdi  fi'j^ure  for  the  winner. 
Horses  starting  at  comparatively  long  prices  have  fre- 
cpjently  won  the  Uerb}',  Oaks,  and  St.  Leger — the 
favourite  sometimes  being,  as  they  say  in  racing 
circles,  '  nowhere,'  or,  to  put  the  case  gently,  beaten. 
In  big  handicaps  the  same  fate  often  enough  befalls 
horses  which  start  as  '  hot  ones.'  Without  troubling 
the  reader  with  a  phalanx  of  figures  on  the  subject,  it 
may  be  mentioned,  with  respect  to  the  Ccsarewitch, 
that  the  price  of  the  winner  at  the  start  for  the  race  in 
1869-70  was  20  to  1  ;  in  1873,  22  to  1 ;  in  1874,  25  to 
1 ;  in  1878,  20  to  1  ;  in  1879,  22  to  1 ;  in  some  pre- 
vious years  even  longer  odds  than  these  are  recorded. 
Of  the  Cambridgeshire  horses,  it  falls  to  be  related 
that,  on  occasion,  very  long  odds  have  been  obtained 
just  before  the  race  was  decided ;  examples  may  be 


2CX5  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

quoted  :  ]\[ontargis  in  1873,  started  at  50  to  1,  and  of 
Isonom}',  in  1878,  the  price  at  the  start  was  40  to  1 
More  recently  Bendigo  and  Gloriation  started  at  50 
and  40  to  1  respectively.  The  starting  prices  of  the 
Derby  and  Oaks  winners  are  given  elsewhere. 

One  phase  of  Derby  betting  which  ])revailed  at  one 
time  has  been  greatly  fallen  from,  namely,  the  making 
of  books  on  the  yearlings  entered  for  the  race.  Some 
thirty  or  forty  years  since  there  were  men  who  would 
lay  to  lose  £10,000  against  any  animal  entered  for 
the"  Derby,  and  even  now  it  is  said  one  or  two  ama- 
teur bookmakers  are  trying  their  hand  at  a  yearling 
Derby  book.  These  speculations  never  paid,  some  one 
or  other  of  the  backers  being  so  fortunate  as  to  back 
♦;he  yearling  to  which  victory  ultimately  fell.  As 
regards  the  general  run  of  betting  on  the  Derby,  there 
are  men  who  never  touch  that  race  as  a  medium  fur 
speculation,  '  It  is  not  worth  my  vv^hile  to  back  horses 
for  the  Derby,'  said  recently  a  well-to-do  backer  to  the 
writer ;  '  I  prefer  to  risk  my  fivers  on  some  of  the  other 
events — the  Derby  betting  is  too  stereotyped  for  m}' 
taste.'  On  the  other  side  of  the  question  there  are 
many  shrewd  backers  who  bet  on  the  Derby,  and  put 
money  in  their  purses  by  so  doing. 

The  odds  now  betted  against  horses  for  places,  espe- 
cially in  what  are  called  the  '  classic  events,'  are  more 
fanciful  than  they  used  to  be.  For  the  benefit  of  the 
uninitiated  in  racing  economy,  it  has  to  be  explained 
that  three  horses  in  each  race  are  '  placed  '  by  the 
judge,  viz.,  the  winner,  as  also  the  second  and  third 
horse — a  fourth  animal  being  sometimes  placed.  In 
all  the  large  races^  in  consequence  of  that  arrange- 


WHO  SETS  THE  MARKET f  201 

mcnt,  there  has  hcen  'place  hctting.'  At  one  time  in 
the  history  of  the  turf,  there  was  a  good  deal  of  betting 
'  one,  two ' — that  is,  that  a  given  horse  would  either  be 
first  or  second  in  the  race.  For  that  contingency  half 
the  odds  were  betted  '  one,  two,'  that  were  offered  for 
a  win — if  the  price  against  a  horse  winning  was  20  to  1, 
then  10  to  1  would  be  ofiered  against  a  horse  being 
first  or  second.  If  it  be  these  odds  against  a  horse 
being  first  or  second,  why  should  only  '  a  fourth  '  of  tlie 
odds  to  win  be  ofiered  aj^ainst  the  chance  of  a  horse  to 
be  first,  second,  or  third  ?  And  why,  in  the  case  of  the 
rJerby,  and  one  or  two  other  races,  should,  as  has  been 
the  case  in  some  years,  only  about  a  sevt  nth  of  the  odds 
be  offered  against  that  contingency  ?  In  place  of  being 
so  '  nippit,'  the  odds  against  a  horse  obtaining  a  place 
ought  really  to  be  liberal,  seeing  that,  in  general,  only 
two  or  three  of  the  horses  running  in  a  race  try  for 
places,  especially  in  the  early  part  of  the  season.  A 
jockey  generally  gets  orders  not  to  '  bustle  the  h>rse,' 
if  it  becomes  obvious  during  the  race  that  he  has  no 
chance  of  winning.  Under  all  the  circumstances,  the 
odds  for  a  place  ought  to  be  one-third  of  the  odds 
ofiered  for  a  win,  seeing  that  the  backer  has  so  small  a 
chance  on  his  side  of  gaining  his  mone}^ ;  as  to  the 
place  prices  now  offered  on  the  Derby,  none  but  very 
foolish  people  accept  them. 

A  few  necessary  remarks  on  a  favourite  mode  of 
betting  in  which  the  backer  has  usually  the  Avorst  of 
the  bargain  may  now  be  offered.  The  prices  of  double 
and  triple  event  bets  are  effected  by  the  multiplication 
of  the  current  odils  offered  against  each  horse.  For 
instance,  it  may  be  that  the  quotation  against  Sin  for 


202  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

the  Lincoln  Handicap  is  20  to  1,  whilst  the  price  of 
Misery  for  the  City  and  Suburban  is  40  to  1,  which 
gives  800  to  ]  as  the  va,lue  of  the  double  event.  A 
triple  event  is  arranged  in  a  simihir  fashion,  as  thus  : 
Gastronomer  at  16  to  1  for  the  Lincoln  race,  Pleasure 
20  to  1  for  City  and  Suburban,  Dj'spepsia  25  to  1  for 
the  Derby,  or  SCOO  to  1  as  the  value  of  the  triple 
event !  But  no  such  price  as  that  can  be  obtained. 
Bookmakers  who  do  business  in  these  fancy  bets 
restrict  the  amount  of  the  odds  they  offer  on  doubles 
to  £2  000,  and  on  triples  to  £3,000  respectively — a 
capital  win  in  either  case  when  it  can  be  etl'ected  ;  but 
it  is  not  often  that  such  sums  as  even  these  restricted 
amounts  are  realized.  Nothing  is  more  difficult  in 
bettinq-  than  to  select  two  horses  which  will  win  a  double 
event — to  name  a  scries  of  three  winners  is  still  more 
difficult — racing  is  such  a  lottery,  especially  to  those 
who  are  not  very  much  behind  the  scenes.  The  bet 
when  taken  may  look  thoroughly  practical ;  all  the 
horses  may  be  in  good  fettle,  and  be  meant  to  contend 
in  the  various  races  in  the  most  honourable  manner ; 
the  first  event  of  either  series  may  indeed  be  realized; 
but  some  fine  morning  the  remaining  horse,  or  one  of 
them  if  it  be  a  triple  event,  may  be  found  to  be  lame 
• — rnd,  lo  !  the  chance  of  an  easily-made  fortune  flees  at 
once  away.  Each  horse  must  gain  the  race  it  is 
named  for,  or  the  bet  becomes  null  and  void. 

The  philosophy  of  a  well-[)lanned  double  event,  and 
triple  event  also,  is,  stated  briefly,  that  it  should  be  so 
arrancfed  that  the  winnino^  of  the  horse  in  the  first; 
event  should  have  a  favourai>le  effect  on  the  animal 
selected  for  the  second     thus  the  success  of  Sin,  by 


WHO  SETS  THE  MARKET?  203 

previous  '  form,'  should  bring  Misery  '  to  the  front,'  or 
so  improve  its  position  in  the  betting  that  it  will  afford 
good  hedging — it  has  become  a  proverb  of  the  turf 
that  'no  bet  is  good  till  it  is  well  hedged.'  If,  for  in- 
stance, Sin  wins  the  Lincoln  Handicap,  then  the  bettor 
stands  to  win  £800  by  the  success  of  Miser}^  in  the 
City  and  Suburban  ;  and  as  Misery  has  twice  before 
beaten  Sin,  Misery,  in  consequence  of  the  success  of 
Sin,  comes  to  be  quoted  in  the  betting  at  100  to  6,  so 
that  the  bet  can  be  hedged  at  about  that  price  to 
any  extent  under  £8C0.  The  holder  of  the  bet,  to  use 
the  phraseology  of  the  turf,  can  in  such  case  '  stand 
on  velvet,'  and  win  either  way.  He  can  lay,  if  he 
])!eases,  £400  to  £20,  and  so  win  £19  if  the  horse  loses, 
or  £400  if  it  wins.  If  the  horse  loses  tlie  race,  that  is, 
he  has  £20  to  receive  of  hedging-raon'r^y  and  his  stake 
of  £1  to  pay  ;  if  the  hor.se  wins  he  receives  £800,  out  of 
which  he  has  to  pay  the  £400  he  laid.  It  may  be 
said  that  it  would  be  better  to  back  the  horses  singly, 
because  the  stake  won  over  the  first  horse  could  then 
either  be  reinvested  or  saved.  There  are,  however, 
two  sides  to  that  way  of  putting  the  case.  One  side  is 
that  odds  of  £800  to  £1  are  obtained  against  the 
double  event  being  realized.  Ju>t  so  ;  but  if  Sin  had 
been  backed  singly  at  20  to  1,  Misery,  when  the  first 
event  came  olf,  as  has  been  explained,  may  have  risen 
in  the  price  current  to  IG  to  1,  so  that  if  both  winnings 
and  stake  of  £1  were  to  be  reinvested,  all  that  could 
be  realized  in  the  event  of  the  second  win  coming  off 
would  be  a  sum  of  £8.')G.  On  the  other  hand,  the 
second  horse  may  have  gone  back  in  the  betting  to 
50  to  1  against  its  chance ;  and  in  that  case,  if  tlio 


20+  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

bettor  was  still  inclined  to  go  on,  his  £21  would  pro- 
duce the  sum  of  £1,050. 

A  bookmaker  who  in  one  year  laid  as  many  as 
seven  hundred  double  event  bets  on  the  Lincolnshire 
Handicap  and  Liverpool  Grand  National  Steeplechase, 
found,  after  the  first  race  had  been  decided,  that  only 
nineteen  of  his  clients  had  succeeded  in  naminof  the 
winner  of  the  first  event ;  moreover,  the  said  nineteen 
selected  seven  difT^irent  horses  for  the  steeplechase ; 
and  the  bookmaker,  having  in  his  possession  all  the 
money  invested  on  losers,  was  able  himself  to  back 
the  seven  different  horses  in  the  steeplechase  for  all 
the  money  he  had  engaged  for,  and  have  a  handsome 
profit  left  over.  The  prices  of  the  seven  horses  which 
he  required  to  make  safe  when  the  first  event  had 
been  determined  were  respectively  5,  7,  8,  10,  12,  14 
and  20  to  1,  and  as  it  happened  that  he  only  stood 
to  Jose  £200  on  the  horse  which  was  at  5  to  1,  he 
covered  that  particular  risk  for  £4<0 ;  his  heaviest 
risk  was  on  the  horse  at  1-i  to  1,  which,  when  most  of 
the  doubles  were  taken,  was  twice  that  rate  of  odds  :  he 
took  100  to  7  ten  times  in  the  market,  that  is,  at  his 
club,  so  that  for  a  sum  of  £70  he  was  able  to  cover 
what  he  stood  to  lose  in  the  event  of  that  particular 
liorse  winning.  In  the  end,  only  one  of  the  seven  horses 
proved  successful,  but  the  prudent  bookmaker  could 
not  foresee  which  of  them  it  would  be,  and  therefoie 
he  very  properly  took  care  to  make  himself  safe ;  but, 
as  the  sequel  showed,  the  sum  of  £40  would  have 
been  ample  to  secure  himself  against  any  loss  that 
might  have  occurred  to  him  from  double  events. 

Many  similar  experiences  might  be  related.     It  has 


WHO  SETS  THE  MARKET?  205 

Tjcen  told  of  one  bookmaker  that  he  kiiJ  a  sum  of 
£10,000  to  one  person  against  a  triple  event.  Two  of 
the  events  came  off  in  favour  of  the  backer,  and  that 
bookmaker  found  himself  in  the  position  of  having  to 
pay  £10,000  if  the  third  horse  should  win;  however, 
after  the  first  part  of  the  bet  had  been  determined, 
the  bookmaker  had  taken  a  double  event  to  cover  his 
risk.  Ultimately,  before  the  Derby  (which  was  the 
third  race),  he  bought  up  the  claim  for  a  handsome 
sum,  and  the  Derby  of  that  year  was  won  by  a  horso 
(Blue  Gown)  in  the  same  stable  as  the  horse  which  was 
included  in  the  triple  event. 

A  Scottish  gentleman  one  season  invested  a  few 
pounds  to  win  him  a  triple  event  of  tlie  value  of 
£4',000,  but  it  did  not  come  off.  The  horses  selected 
were :  Footstep,  for  the  Lincolnshire  Handicap,  which 
won;  Austerlitz,  which  won  the  Grand  National  Steeple- 
chase at  Liverpool  ;  the  third  horse  of  the  series  was 
St.  T,eger,  for  the  City  and  Suburban  Handicap,  run 
at  E[)sora,  which,  however,  failed  to  win  that  event. 
The  speculative  Scotchman  might  have  had  fine 
hedging  over  the  third  horse,  which  at  one  time  was 
quoted  at  12  to  1  ;  the  twelves  in  four  thousand, 
therefore,  at  one  time  represented  the  value  of  the 
bet.  Double  and  triple  events  for  places  can  also  be 
negotiated.  The  writer,  by  way  of  experiment,  took 
100  to  1  King  Lud,  1,  2,  3,  Cesare^itch ;  and  Sterling, 
1,  2,  3,  Cambridgeshire,  and  won  his  money;  he  also 
upon  one  occasion  speculated  in  a  triple-place  event 
which  proved  successful,  namely,  Reveller  for  Good- 
wood Stakes;  Cipolata  for  the  St.  Leger;  and  Fernandez 
for  the  Cambridsi'eshire. 


2o6  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

IV. 

A  way  of  betting  at  the  present  time  much  favoured 
by  persons  who  do  not  find  it  convenient  to  attend 
race  meetings  is  known  as  'starting  price.'  The  person 
speculating  in  that  way  of  doing  business  instructs  a 
bookmaker  to  put  £1  on  Bnsybee,  on  his  behalf,  for 
the  Honey  wood  Handicap  at  '  starting  price,'  which, 
it  need  scarcely  be  explained,  is  tlie  price  at  which 
the  horse  starts  for  the  race ;  it  may  be  2  to  1  or 
10  to  1,  the  backer  being  paid  accordingly.  A  vast 
amount  of  money  is  day  by  day  staked  in  this  fashion, 
both  in  clubs  and  with  outside  bookmakers  who  affect 
this  mode  of  doing  business.  A  limit  is  fixed,  beyond 
which  pa.yments  will  not  be  made;  it  is  usually  fixed 
at  8  or  10  to  1  on  the  smaller  races,  and  ranges  from 
16  to  33  to  1  on  the  larger  handicaps.  Thousands  of 
persons  may  daily  be  seen  backing  horses  at  '  starting 
price ';  that  they  do  not  make  much  money  at  the 
game  can  be  seen  by  looking  at  them.  No  wonder, 
seeing  the  small  rate  of  odds  at  which  the  horses  they 
usually  back  start  at, and  seeing  that  when  the  odds  are 
large  backers  do  not  get  the  full  tale  of  their  invest- 
ments because  of  the  limitation  referred  to.  As  a 
rule,  the  horses  invested  on  start  (as  has  been  shown) 
at  exceedingly  short  prices;  often  enough  it  is  a  case 
of  odds  on  them ;  at  other  times  even  money  or  6  to  4 
against  the  horse  backed.  When,  therefore,  a  starting- 
price  backer,  as  is  often  the  case,  backs  six  or  more 
horses  in  a  day,  and  when,  as  frequently  happens,  he 
backs  tvv'o  anim.als  running  in  the  same  race,  he  is 
certain  in  the  course  of  time,  if  not  at  once,  to  lose 


WHO  SETS  THE  AEdRA'ETf  207 

his  monc}'.  Startinj^-price  backers,  as  a  rule,  blindly 
follow  a  tout  or  tipster,  either  sending  to  them  direct 
by  letter  or  telegram,  or  'tipping'  through  the 
columns  of  a  newspaper,  and  in  this  way  they  are 
called  upon  to  back  every  day  a  matter  of  seven  or 
eight  horses.  In  the  course  of  the  day  they  will  be 
much  gratified  at  hearing  the  good  news  that  three  of 
the  animals  selected  have  each  won  the  race  for 
Wiiich  it  had  been  backed;  but  their  joy  is  damped 
when  they  learn  that  one  horse  has  started  at  odds  of 
2  to  1  on  it,  and  another  at  even  money,  whilst  the 
price  of  the  third  was  9  to  4. 

The  following  is  the  result  of  an  illustrative  experi-. 
ment  recently  made  by  the  author  of  these  pages  :  A 
sum  of  £7  was  expended  on  seven  horses,  three  of 
which  only  won  their  respective  races,  so  that  £4 
was  lost  over  the  non-winners,  one  of  which  rau  a 
dead-heat  with  odds  laid  on  it ;  and  the  stakes  being 
divided,  a  loss  of  three  shillings  was  incurred  on  that 
winner,  2  to  1  was  earned  on  another  of  the  horses, 
and  even  money  was  earned  on  the  third :  the  sum 
gained  was,  therefore,  £2  17s.,  to  pay  a  loss  of  £4. 
On  some  occasions  backers  are  much  more  fortunate, 
and  realize  chances  of  4  or  5,  and  sometimes  7  or 
8  to  1 ;  and  to  last  for  any  time  at  such  a  busi- 
ness they  would  require  frequently  to  obtain  such 
chances.  Non-betting  readers  may  feel  surprised 
at  the  possibility  of  a  loss  on  a  horse  that  has  in 
efi'ect  won  the  race,  but  in  the  case  of  a  dead- heat, 
which  is  not  '  rini  off,'  the  backer's  stake  and  the 
money  laid  against  it  are  put  together  and  divided  ; 
and  in  the  case  of  odds  being  laid  on  a  horse,  say  that 


2q8        the  blue  ribbon  of  the  turf. 

£1  is  risked  to  win  los.,  tlie  backor  at  £1  would  only 
be  entitled  to  receive  17s.  Gd.,  thus  losing  2s.  6d.  by 
the  transaction  !  This  has  occurred  often,  and  to  what 
is  called  '  big  money.' 

^[uch  controversy  has  at  various  times  taken  place 
as  to  what  is  starting  price,  and  how  it  is  to  be  made 
known.  It  is  on  the  one  hand  contended  that  at  all 
race  meetings  the  price  at  which  the  various  horses 
start  for  any  given  race  is  different  at  different  places, 
i.e.,  in  the  various  rings — one  man  may  be  laying 
2  to  1,  while  another  may  be  shouting  9  to  4,  or  even 
5  to  2,  about  the  same  horse.  It  is  obvious,  therefore, 
that  for  behoof  of  starting-price  backers  an  average 
must  be  struck  ;  and  in  that  case  arises  the  question, 
Who  is  the  man  to  strike  it  ?  Practically,  every 
starting-price  bookmaker  informs  his  customers  that 
he  settles  by  the  prices  quoted,  in  a  given  newspaper. 
All  the  sporting  papers  have  representatives  in  the 
ring,  whose  duty  it  is  to  gather  the  prices  and  quote 
the  odds.  At  the  end  of  each  race  described,  the 
betting  is  duly  set  forth — and,  speaking  roundly, 
there  is  usually  very  little  difference  to  be  found  in 
the  quotations  given  by  tlie  diff'ert-nt  papers — and  the 
prices  collected  find  their  way  into  all  the  daily  and 
other  prints  which  devote  a  portion  of  their  space  to 
racing  intelHgence,  so  that  bookmakers  obtain  a  large 
choice  of  references  to  select  from.  Doubts  are  often 
expressed  that  the  real  odds  are  not  given,  and  cases 
have  been  cited  in  favour  of  those  holdinsf  such 
opinions.  There  are  two  cases  in  point  wdiich  may  be 
mentioned.  The  odds  laid  against  the  winning  horse 
in  each  case  were  quoted  by  most  of  the  papers  as 


WHO  SETS  THE  .VARk'ETf  209 

being  10  to  1,  but  the  newspaper  which  was  at  the 
time  of  the  race  the  accredited  authority  on  starting 
prices  pubhshed  8  to  1  as  the  figure.  There  arose  in 
consequence  a  great  cr}'  against  the  journal  in  ques- 
tion, which  was  stigmatized  as  the  *  bookmakers' 
organ,'  and  loudly  denounced  as  having  given  an  un- 
truthful return;  but  the  editor  of  the  paper  stuck  to 
liis  text,  and  asserted  that  he  had  ^^iven  the  fair 
figures.  It  is  not  necessary  to  give  here  a  precis  of 
the  controversy,  or  to  recall  wdiat  was  said  on  either 
side;  but  in  time  that  particular  paper  was  dethroned, 
and  another  daily  sporting  print  was  elected  as  the 
arbiter  of  starting  prices.  By-and-by  the  new 
authority  fell  into  as  great  disgrace  as  its  predecessor, 
in  giving  8  to  1  as  the  starting  price  of  an  animal 
which  it  was  maintained  started  at  two  points  longer 
odds.  There  was  another  'row'  over  this  matter,  and 
probably  there  are  many  more  quarrels  and  disputes 
in  store  for  starting- price  speculators. 

To  non-sporiing  readers,  all  that  has  been  said  on 
this  topic  may  appear  ver}'  much  of  the  storm-in-a- 
teapot  order;  but  a  deduction  of  £2  in  a  case  where 
thousands  of  bets  may  have  been  made  is  a  serious 
business  to  the  bettors,  as  it  re})resents  a  total  sum  of 
large  amount ;  a  difference  even  of  5s.  or  10s.  in  the 
price  makes  a  hole  in  a  settling.  There  are  persons 
who  say  that,  taken  all  over,  the  paper  odds  are  really 
vai'TQ  liberal  than  the  prices  which  can  be  obtained  by 
individual  bettors  attending  the  various  meetings. 
Another  factor  in  the  matter  of  starting  price  is  the 
general  belief  held  by  thousands  of  those  persons  who 
back  horses — that  the  p 'rsons  whoso  duty  it  is  to 


2!0  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

collect  and  quote  the  prices  can  be  got  at  and  bo 
'  squared.'  There  are  many  people  who  assert  that 
every  man  on  the  turf  has  his  price,  and  that  by 
giving  a  reporter  ten  pounds,  the  quoted  odds  can  bo 
shown  on  paper  to  be  less  than  tlicy  were  in  the  pad- 
dock. Even  if  the  Jockey  Club  were  to  appoint  an 
official  reporter,  he,  too,  according  to  the  opinion  of 
those  knowinc^  most  about  such  afiairs,  miirht  be  tarn- 
pered  with. 

AVhy  should  there  be  any  'limit'  in  the  matter  of 
starting  price  ?  Bettors  in  the  ring  obtain  the  real 
price,  whether  it  may  be  2  to  1  or  20  to  1 ;  why, 
then,  should  those  who  bet  in  towns  not  obtain  their 
proper  winnings  \  Wei-e  backers  of  horses  not  the 
fools  they  so  often  show  themselves  to  be,  they  would 
cease  to  do  business  on  any  other  terms.  The  real 
starting  price  is  little  enough  for  the  risk  run  by 
persons  betting  in  the  dark,  but  vfhen  the  odds  of 
20  to  1  are  cut  down  to  8  or  10,  it  is  really  scanda- 
lous. 

Before  concluding  this  part,  it  may  be  well  to  take 
a  glance  at  the  starting-price  bookmaker  at  home. 
His  home  for  the  day  maybe  at  his  club,  where  he  has 
a  table  at  which  to  do  business,  or  he  may  be  the  pro- 
prietor of  a  billiard- room,  or  the  tenant  of  a  good- 
going  pub,  or  little  shop  for  the  sale  of  cigars  or 
newspapers  ;  no  matter  what  his  mode  of  blinding  the 
authorities  may  be,  his  real  work  is  that  of  book- 
making,  doing  business  chiefly  on  the  daily  races,  and 
with  the  majority  of  his  customers  for  ready  money, 
from,  perhaps.  Is.,  up  to  £5,  or  even  £10. 
There  are  various  ways  of  carrying  on  such  a  busi- 


UV/0  SETS  THE  MARKET?  211 

ncss  ;  the  proprietor  may  gamble  tliroijo-liout,  or  he 
may  bet  to  figures.  Take  an  average  day,  and  we 
shall  fi,nd  six  races  set  for  decision,  in  which  from 
thirty  to  forty  horses  may  actually  compete,  starting 
at  such  prices  as  have  been  recorded  in  a  previous 
page.  From  an  early  hour  the  bookmaker's  friends 
and  clients  begin  to  pop  in,  some  to  invest  at  once, 
others  to  gossip  over  the  chances  of  the  day.  Opinions 
are  exchanged.  '  I  know  one  good  thing  for  to-day/ 
observes  Bill  Thomson.  '  Well  ?'  says  Jack  Johnson, 
*  Trapbois  should  win  that  'ere  welter  easy,  seeing  as 
how  he  ran  The  Nig'^er  to  a  nose  two  weeks  since. 
I'll  have  my  thick  'un  (sovereign)  on  that  'oss.'  And 
so  the  day  proceeds  ;  men  who  receive  telegrams  from 
the  course  plank  down  their  dollars  and  half- 
sovereigns,  till  a  considerable  sum  has  been  received ; 
and  the  bookmaker,  finding  that  he  has  taken  rather 
much  for  some  of  the  likely  winners,  sends  out  his 
scouts  to  place  some  of  the  money  he  has  drawn  with 
other  layers  of  the  odds.  As  the  forenoon  advances, 
timid-looking  men  slink  in,  and  whisper  their  desires, 
evidently  fearful  of  being  noticed ;  others,  with  less 
reticence,  make  their  investments  boldly,  not  caring 
who  knows  what  they  are  doing.  Racing  begins  at 
l.oO;  and  in  a  few  minutes  after  that  time  a  man 
rushes  in  to  say  that  The  Plover  has  won,  Bantam 
second.  Partridge  third.  All  present  are  affected  by 
the  news:  'Just  my  luck;  second  again!'  says  one. 
'  Pm  not  in  it,'  says  another ;  '  I  backed  The  Peacock  ;' 
and  so  the  wail  goes  round ;  and  on  the  fact  being 
found  out  that  no  one  has  backed  The  Ph)ver,  the 
bookmaker  is  chaffed  into  standing  drinks.     Better 

14—2 


212  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

luck  awaits  speculators  over  the  second  race  of  the 
da}?- — Clarion  tirst;  all  have  backed  it;  but  the  price, 
when  made  known  by  the  tape,  staggers  the  chque — 
'Even  money  be  blowed,  and  seven  runners  !'  Seeing 
that  all  the  horses  in  the  daily  races  are  backed  to  win 
by  some  person  or  other,  it  is  not  a  little  remarkable 
that  so  many  of  the  stavting-price  bookmakers  win 
money;  but  in  the  endeavour  to  do  so  they  are  aided 
by  tlie  occasionally  very  short  odds  at  which  many  of 
the  horses  are  backed.  When  a  man  takes  £20  for 
a  high-mettled  steed,  which  starts  at  even  money,  he 
has  only  £20  to  pay  and  the  stakes  to  give  back;  and 
if  throe  or  four  horses  have  been  backed  for  the  same 
race,  he  has  in  all  probability  plenty  to  pay  with,  and 
something  over  as  well.  If  there  have  been  as  many 
as  seven  competitors,  the  bookmaker  may  have  taken 
as  much  as  £100,  spread  over  the  lot,  or,  if  his  busi- 
ness is  a  largo  one,  twice  that  sum. 

Starting  price  is  a  favourite  mode  of  backing  a 
horse  with  some  owners.  A  '  plant '  is  laid  somewhat  in 
the  following'  fashion  :  Messrs.  Brown,  Jones  and 
Robinson,  who  each  have  a  horse  or  two  in  a  small 
stable,  find  out  that  one  of  their  nags  is  rather  smart 
at  a  mile,  and  so,  with  the  aid  of  their  trainer,  they 
have  him  placed  along  with  a  stable  companion  in  a 
well-selected  race.  The  pair  are  taken  to  the  scene  of 
action  and  made  ready  for  the  start.  The  owner  of 
one  of  the  horses  makes  a  show  of  backing  it  with  two 
or  three  bookmakers  who  are  in  the  plot,  and  the  herd 
of  bettors  on  the  spot  follow  suit,  so  that  the  horse 
comes  to  a  short  price.  To  the  surprise  of  all  present, 
the  other  horse  of  the  stable  wins  the  race,  without,  to 


WHO  SETS  THE  MARKET?  213 

all  appearance,  having  been  backed  for  a  slnlling'.  But 
in  reality  it  has  been  backed  to  win  £2,000  or  £3,000 ; 
nearly  every  provincial  bookmaker  in  the  three  king- 
doms, through  the  medium  of  commissioners  and 
agents,  having  laid  against  it,  and  the  price  is  the 
maximum  in  consequence  of  the  tactics  adopted. 
Such  details  as  the  foregoing  may  appear  somewhat 
long-winded  to  those  who  are  familiar  with  all  the  outs 
and  ins  of  the  modern  turf;  this  book  has  not,  how- 
ever, been  written  for  the  behoof  of  such  persons,  but  to 
afford  information  to  those  ignorant  of  the  machinery 
of  racincf. 

In  concluding  this  disquisition  on  the  rate  of  the 
odds,  it  must  be  admitted  that  the  setting  of  the 
market  is  not  a  matter  for  dogmatic  deliverance,  but 
for  inquiry  and  elucidation.  A  bookmaker's  argument 
is  that  it  is  the  bettors  themselves,  and  not  the  book- 
makers, who  are  responsible  for  the  prices  laid.  '  We 
cannot,'  such  is  their  argument,  '  go  on  laying .  the 
same  horse  at  the  same  price  all  through  the  piece ; 
that  v.-ould  never  do,  for  the  more  a  horse  is  backed 
the  shorter  must  the  price  against  its  chance  bccomiC.' 
That  is  so,  doubtless,  in  many  cases,  because  the 
bookmaker  is  bound  to  get  as  much  money  into  his 
book  as  he  can,  and  when  there  are  only  a  few  animals 
entered  in  a  race,  the  persistent  sup[)ort  of  one  of 
them  must  naturally  atfect  its  price  ;  but  bookmakers 
should  bear  in  mind  that  the  more  prices  contract 
ao^ainst  the  six  or  sevtii  leading  favourites  in  an  im- 
portant  handicap,  all  the  more  should  become  the 
odds  against  the  '  rank  outsiders.* 


DERBYANA. 

It  would  be  a  work  of  considerable  difficulty  to  bring 
into  focus  much  matter  about  the  Derb^'  that  has 
not  already  done  duty  in  print  either  in  the  '  memoirs ' 
of  the  period,  or  in  the  columns  of  the  sporting 
newspapers,  of  which  there  are  now  so  many.  For 
those  who  make  racing  matters  a  study  it  is  almost 
hopeless  to  suppose  that  anything  can  be  given  that 
"will  be  fresh  or  novel ;  happily,  however,  there  is  a 
larger  public — a  public  to  wliom  some  of  the  'ana' 
belonging  to  the  great  race  will  probably  prove 
acceptable  reading,  and  it  is  in  that  hope  these  scraps 
are  offered  as  a  portion  of  this  volume. 

Subscription  pools,  '  Derby  sweeps '  they  are  called, 

have  existed  in  connection  with  the  race  for  a  very 

long  period  ;  the  writer  has  not  been  able 

Derby  Sweeps.  ^      i  i  ^  •         •  i 

to  nnd  out  when  they  were  mstituted,  or 
■who  first  becran  them  ;  but  he  was  himself  a  sub-' 
scriber  to  one  of  them  (a  half-crown  sweep)  so  far 
back  as  the  3'ear  in  which  Phosphorus  won.  During 
the  last  forty  or  fifty  years  there  is  scarcely  a  town  in 
the  United  Kingdom  in  which  a  Derby  sweepstake 
has  not  been  organized.     In  some  of  the  larg^er  towns 


DERBYANA.  215 

there  will  be  from  forty  to  two  hundred  or  more  drawn 
every  year  of  greater  or  lesser  amount,  the  subscrip- 
tions ranging  from  as  little  as  sixpence  to  as  much  as 
a  couple  of  sovereigns  ;  the  principal  prize  being  fixed 
accordingly,  in  some  instances  as  low  as  £1,  in  other 
cases  ranging  frum  £50  to  £500.  It  is  said  that  in 
the  year  in  which  one  of  Mr.  Merry's  horses  proved 
successful,  twenty-five  gentlemen  of  the  West  of 
Scotland  put  each  down  £100,  £1,500  of  which  was 
allotted  to  the  man  who  drew  the  Avinning  horse,  £700 
to  the  ticket  for  the  second,  and  £300  to  the  third 
horse  :  the  winner  of  the  first  prize  engaging  to  invite 
the  other  subscribers  to  a  champagne  dinner.  Many 
Derby  sweeps  are  drawn  every  year  in  Glasgow,  the 
drawing  of  the  '  Exchange  Sweep,'  in  particular, 
exciting  a  great  deal  of  attention — it  is  promoted 
by  the  gentlemen  who  are  subscribers  to  the  Royal 
Exchanofe  Readimj-room.  In  most  of  the  clubs  in 
Scotland  Derby  sweeps  are  drawn,  some  of  them 
being  of  considerable  amount,  the  first  prize  being 
seldom  less  than  £G0,  but  £100  is  no  imcom.mon 
sum  to  be  paid  to  the  holder  of  the  ticket  containing 
the  name  of  the  winner,  whilst  a  similar  amount  will 
ver}'  likely  fall  to  be  distributed  among  the  placed  and 
runninfj  horses. 

In  the  course  of  proceedings  instituted  against  a 
licensed  victualler,  an  inspector  of  police  stated  to 
London  Derby  ^^^®  of  the  magistrates  that  it  was  within 

Sweeps.  }iis  knowledge  that  more  than  1,000  Derby 
sweeps  were  every  year  got  up  in  the  great  Metropolis, 
many  of  them  representing  large  total  amounts — the 


2i6  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

Avinning  ticket  in  some  of  the  larger  organizations 
taking  as  much  as  £200.  It  is  no  exaggeration  to  say- 
that  the  number  of  sweeps  got  up  in  London  far 
exceeds  the  figure  given  by  the  inspector  of  police  ; 
one  sporting  publican,  Avell  versed  in  such  matters, 
thought  there  would  be  no  fewer  than  10,000,  big 
and  little,  ranging  from  the  palatial  clubs  of  Pall  Mall 
and  Piccadilly  to  the  '  free  and  easies '  of  the  working- 
men  in  the  various  suburban  localities  of  the  ofreat 
J\Letropolis ;  while  in  many  of  the  London  cit}^  ware- 
houses, shops,  manufactories,  and  printing-offices, 
Derby  sweeps  are  annuall}'  organized,  Li  the  markets, 
too,  pools  are  got  up  over  the  great  event,  and  in 
the  theatres  and  music-halls  there  is  always  sufficient 
excitement  to  induce  the  artistes  to  promote  a  crown 
or  half-sovereign  sweep — the  servants  of  the  stage 
following  suite  with  their  go  at  'a  bob'  for  a  ticket: 
there  are  in  London  sweeps  for  all  classes,  at  all  prices. 

Some  of  the  Indian  and  Colonial  subscriptions  to 

Derby   sweeps   attain   to   very   large   amounts.     The 

T  V        ,     following  statement,  as  will  be  seen,  refers 

ludian  and  •^  '  '_ 

Coioiiiii       to  Ben'  Or's  Derby.    'The  sweep  this  year 

Dcrl)y  Sweeps.  ,  ,  •   i        i 

was  the  largest  ever  drawn,  with  the  ex- 
ception of  the  one  in  1877,  when  the  first  prize 
amounted  to  over  £15,000,  over  £25,000  having  been 
subscribed.  This  year  27,002  tickets  at  £1  each 
had  been  taken,  and  the  prize  for  the  first  horse 
amounted  to  £11,153,  for  the  second  £5,576,  and  for 
the  third  £2,788 ;  £459  being  divided  amongst  all 
starters,  except  those  who  got  a  place,  and  £688 
amonofst  non-starters.     As  was  stipulated  beforehand, 


DERBY  AN  A.  217 

£1,148  was  placed  to  the  credit  of  the  Umballa  Race 
Fund,  and  a  simihxr  amount  was  put  down  as  ex- 
penses. Bend  Or,  the  first  horse,  was  drawn  by  a 
European  clerk  of  the  Public  Works  Department  of 
Simla.  I  have  heard  that  he  had  sold  his  ticket  to  a 
European  officer  for  £1,."00,  and  a  further  £4,000  if 
the  horse  came  first.  Robert  the  Devil  Avas  drawn  by 
a  Gundamuck  gentleman,  and  Mask  by  a  Mr.  Gordon, 
of  Nizam  IJ^'dcrabad.  Apollo  fell  to  the  lot  of  a  Hindoo 
clerk  in  a  solicitor's  office  in  Bombay,  who  sold  it  for 
£500,  and  £3  000  if  it  came  first.  Valentino  was  the 
portion  of  a  little  Parsee  boy  of  Bombay,  named 
Badeshir  Banaji,  alian  Munshi,  who  sold  it  to  Captain 
Beaver  for  £400,  and  to  get  £3,000  more  if  it  came 
first.' 

Some  person  or  another  invariably  dreams  the 
winner  of  the  Derby,  but  the  name  of  the  horse,  or  the 
Dremns  of  the   circumstanccs  whicli  attend  the  revelation, 

Derby.  r^^.g  j,qj^  usually  made  public  till  after  the 
race  has  been  decided.  Several  of  the  dreams,  how- 
ever, have  been  authenticated,  and  three  or  four  of 
them  have  been  not  a  little  remarkable,  whilst  not  a 
few  of  them  have  gone  the  round,  and  have  been 
quoted  again  and  again.  The  dreams  and  omens  with 
which  we  havebeenmadefamiliarseemto  have  assumed 
many  shapes.  Some  dreamers  appear  to  see  the  race 
and  take  notice  of  the  jockey  and  his  colours  ;  others 
see  the  number  of  the  winning  horse  hoisted ;  to 
others,  again,  is  revealed  the  name  of  the  winner; 
whilst  some  dream  that  they  read  the  name  of  the 
first  three  on  the  tissue  which  comes  with  the  news  to 


2i8  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TUIZF. 

their  club.  A  gentleman — a  member  of  a  sporting 
club — saw  one  night  in  his  mind's  eye  during  his 
slumbers  the  tissue  which  contained  Iroquois  first, 
Peregrine  second,  Town  Moor  third.  That  seer  was  the 
special  favourite  of  fortune,  as  on  a  previous  occasion 
he  dreamt  that  Hosebery  had  won  the  '  Camberwitch,' 
a  dream  which,  for  the  moment,  puzzled  him  ncta  little; 
but  he  was  clever  enough  to  solve  the  difficuky  by 
backing  the  horse  for  both  CesarcAvitch  and  Cambrid(?e- 
shire,  and  Rosebery,  as  is  well  kno'vn,  wun  both  of 
these  races. 

'  Priam !'  *  It's  Priam  that's  won,  I  tell  you.  I 
heard  the  guard  say  so.'  It  must  have  been  on  the 
Derby  News  Saturday  forenoon  after  the  Derby  of  1830 
Loug  Ago.  tijat  I  heard  these  words  spoken  by  a  stable- 
man at  one  of  the  hotels  in  the  town  of  Haddington. 
I  did  not  at  the  time  know  to  what  they  related,  being 
then  a  boy  of  some  six  years  or  so  at  school  there.  I 
soon  became  enlightened  by  a  bigger  boy,  who  told 
me  Priam  was  a  horse,  and  that  it  was  t'le  Derby  it 
had  won.  *  And  the  Derby — what  is  that  ?'  was  asked 
by  another  boy.  An  explanation  was  given,  and  next 
year  some  of  us  boys  took  such  an  interest  in  the  race 
that  half  a  dozen  went  two  miles  out  of  the  town  to 
learn  the  news  of  Spaniel's  victory.  A  man  on  horse- 
back was  before  us,  but  we  heard  him  get  the  tip,  and, 
setting  spur  to  his  horse,  he  galloped  off  to  Edinburgh 
with  the  news  by  a  cross-road  at  full  gallop.  And  next 
Derby  the  same  man  I  noticed  was  again  in  waiting, 
was  again  told  the  name  of  the  winner,  and  again  set 
off  at  great  s^tecd  for  Edinburgh.     Why  he  did  so  I 


.    DERBYANA.  219 

learned  in  due  time  when  residing  in  Edinburgli,  but 
it  would  seem  passing  sirange  if  we  had  nowadays  to 
wait  so  long  for  news  of  our  Derby  winners  ;  sixty 
3'ears  since  there  was  no  alternative.  Those  who  were 
desirous  of  knowing  'what  had  won'  required  to  wait 
for  thirty-six  or  forty  hours  till  the  mail  brought  the 
news,  and  on  every  occasion  of  a  great  race  the  guard 
might  be  heard  shouting  to  some  little  group  of  people 
as  the  coach  rattled  along,  '  Smolensko,'  '  Plenipoten- 
tiary^/ or  some  other  name,  and  at  stations  where  a 
halt  was  made  to  change  horses  some  interested  per- 
sons would  be  waiting  to  hear  the  news  of  a  Derby, 
St.  Leger,  or  other  victory.  These  were  not  the  days 
of  express  trains,  daily  newspapers,  or  electric  tele- 
graphs. In  various  remote  parts  of  the  country  the 
name  of  the  horse  that  won  the  Derby  was  sometimes 
not  known  till  ten  days  or  a  fortnight  after  the  race 
had  been  run.  On  the  great  mail-roads  it  was  different ; 
the  coachman  and  guards  spread  the  news  as  they 
bowled  alonsf,  and  the  name  of  the  winner  Avould  in  a 
short  time  be  known  by  those  interested  for  an  area 
of  ten  miles  on  each  side  of  the  great  coach-routes. 

After  leaving  Haddington,  by  which  town  the  mail 
came  to  Edinburgh,  I  discovered  why  a  man  on  horse- 
back had  come  there — a  distance  of  seven- 

TbeLspsof  .  1       •       <•  ,  i     , 

Early        tcon  milcs — to  oDtam  Irom  the  guard  tlio 

Intelligence.  r   «      1      i.    i       i  ^       i'\ 

news  01  what  had  won.  Un  some  occa- 
sions there  were  as  many  as  five  messengers  employed 
to  bring  on  the  news  of  what  horse  had  won  the  Derby. 
I  forget  now  how  the  stages  were  arranged,  but  the 
horsemen,  from  their  knowledge  of  the  country  and 


220  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

the  speed  of  their  horses,  were  able  on  some  occasions 
to  beat  the  stage-coaches  by  as  much  as  twenty-five 
minutes,  which  enabled  those  who  had  arranged  the 
express  to  do  a  good  deal  of  business,  as  much,  at  any 
rate,  as  paid  all  expenses  and  left  '  a  bit  of  profit,' 
more  especially  in  one  or  two  3'-ears  in  which  a  pretty 
hot  favourite  happened  to  be  beaten.  During  the 
'thirties'  and  '  forties'  a  good  deal  of  quiet  betting  took 
place  on  the  Derby  and  some  other  races  in  Edinburgh 
at  certain  well-known  (to  the  initiated)  places  of  ren- 
dezvous. The  '  Haddington  horse  express,'  as  it  came 
to  be  called,  was  planned  in  one  of  these,  the  leading 
spirit  of  the  enterprise  being  a  well-known  hotel-keeper 
of  the  Modern  Athens,  who,  along  wiih  two  or  three 
companions,  shared  the  profits.  All  that  was  done 
was  very  simple.  As  a  matter  of  course,  there  would 
be  from  sixty  to  a  hundred  people  waiting  in  the 
difi'erent  rooms  of  the  Black  Bull  and  other  hotels  for 
the  news,  most  of  whom  had  backed  something  for 
the  race,  and  betting  would  go  on  till  the  mail  reached 
the  post-office.  Meantime,  the  two  or  three  in  '  the 
know'  had  ample  opportunity  of  laying  against  the 
horse  that  had  lost  the  race,  and  backing  the  one  that 
had  won  it.  The  mode  of  anticipation  just  described 
was  carried  en  with  varying  degrees  of  success  for 
several  years, 

*  Bob  Smart,'  of  the  Gun  Tavern — '  Money  Bob,'  as 
he  was  afterwards  called  by  intimate  friends  and 
_    „    ,,,      others   for  whom    he  discounted   bills— 

The  \\ ouulbe 

Biters  bitteu.    nscd  to  tcll  about  liow  tlic  trickstcrs  who 
ran  the  Haddington  express  were  themselves  '  done ' 


DERBYANA.  221 

upon  one  occasion.  '  I  had  something  to  do  ",vith  that 
business,'  said  Bob  one  evening  to  a  few  friends ;  '  but 
it  never  put  much  money  in  my  purse,  and  one  3'car  it 
took  a  clean  hundred  pounds  out  of  it  in  one  bet.  That 
was  a  good  few  years  since  :  Spaniel's  Derby,  it  was. 
Well,  there  was  some  of  us  waiting  for  the  news  in  my 
room.  It  wanted  a  full  hour  of  the  time  the  mail  would 
arrive,  and  we  had  no  expectation  of  hearing  what  had 
won  till  about  twenty  minutes  before  the  time  set  for 
the  mail.  The  great  favourite  for  that  year's  race  was 
a  horse  called  Riddlesworth,  which  it  was  said  could 
not  lose.  I  had  backed  it  early  on,  but  could  not  get 
good  odds.  Well,  as  I  was  saying,  we  were  all  waiting, 
when  two  officers  from  the  cavalry  barracks  at  Jock's 
Lodge  sauntered  in  fully  three-quarters  of  an  hour 
before  the  news  of  "what  had  won"  could  reach  us, 
and  ordered  brandy-and-sodas.  One  of  them  had  a 
very  fine  sporting  dog  with  him  which,  some  of  my 
customers  greatly  admired.  "Ah,"  said  one  of  the 
officers,  "  that  is  the  winner — Spaniel,  you  know." 
There  was  a  general  titter  at  the  idea  of  Spaniel  win- 
ning the  Derby,  "  Well,  you  may  laugh  as  3'ou  like, 
but  if  any  of  you  want  to  lay,  I'll  risk  it  and  back  the 
horse."  As  I  thought  they  couldn't  possibly  know 
the  result,  I  laid  him  £1U0  to  £3,  and  I  think  Charley 
Fraser  laid  the  other  officer  £50  to  30s.  Havin"- 
booked  their  bets  and  finished  their  drinks,  they  left 
on  their  way  to  visit  a  bilHard-room.  In  about  fifteen 
minutes  afterwards  our  tip  came.  You  can  imagine 
our  surprise  when  we  knew  it  was  Spaniel.  We  had 
been  "  had,"  of  course,  but  dared  not  saj'  so,  as  we 
bad  "  done  "  the  same  men  over  several  other  races. 


222  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

I  never  could  Iparn  for  certain  how  the  officers  had 

efot  tlieir  information  so  loiiii^  before  we  cfot  ours,  but 

heard  afterwards  they  had   obtained   the   news   from 

the    stage    before    Haddington    by    means    of    flying 

pigeons,  one  of  the  sergeants  of  their  regiment  having 

trained  them.     Before  coming  to  my  place  they  had 

called   in   at  the    Black   Bull  and   laid   against   the 

favourite  to  a  good  tune,  and  when  they  got  to  the 

billiard-room  they  got  another  hundred  about  Spaniel.' 

Epsom  races   of  the  present  day  and   of   Amato's 

time  present  a  wonderful  contrast.     Private  boxes  in 

the  stand   were  undreamt   of,   and    there 

i^'^'^"r,^(/ o^f    were  no  T.ittersall's  or  other  enclosures 

the  Monnnij    ^s  now.     The  weighinsr-room  and  business 

Font. 

offices  were  in  the  small  building  oppo- 
site the  winning-post  at  present  known  as  the  Angle- 
sey Stand  ;  and  after  the  ring  broke  up  in  the  town 
the  horsemen  reassembled  around  the  '  betting-post ' 
on  the  hill,  near  the  extremity  of  the  loop  of  the 
present  Metropolitan  Course.  A  great  deal  of  betting 
took  place  in  Epsom  before  the  races  in  those  days, 
and  whilst  engaged  in  recording  the  same  I  happened 
to  be  standing  wdthin  a  couple  of  yards  of  Lord  George 
Bentinck  on  the  broad  step  in  front  of  the  Spread 
Eagle  in  Running  Rein's  year  (lS-14),  when,  with  his 
jockey's  betting-book  open  in  his  hand,  his  lordship 
calmly  incjuired  :  '  Has  anybody  else  any  bet  with 
Samuel  Rogers  to  compare  ?'  But  the  taker  of  the 
£10,000  to  £1,000  against  Ratan  from  Rogers,  which 
figured  at  the  top  of  a  page,  did  not  come  forward  to 
verify  the  origin  of  what  subsequently  developed  into 
the  historical  '  Ratan  aflair,'  that  hurried  Crockford, 


DERBYANA.  223 

Eatan's  owner,  into  bis  s^rave,  and  helped  to  '  pile  up 
the  agony'  in  connection  with  the  most  notorious 
Derby  on  record.  It  may  be  newr,  to  many,  perhaps, 
that  Lord  Georsfe  Bentinck  was  the  originator  of  the 
p»resent  system  of  enclosures,  of  numbering  horses  on 
the  cards,  of  telegraphing  the  starters  and  jockeys  in 
accordance  therewith,  and  of  starting  by  the  flag 
system.  It  was  at  his  instigation,  too,  that  the  late 
Mr.  Dorlinor  formed  what  was  then  called  the 'New 
Derby  Course,'  to  distinguish  it  from  the  original  one, 
of  which  the  first  half-mile  was  out  of  sight  of  the 
occupants  of  the  stand.  Ihe  start  took  place  on  the 
other  side  of  Sherwood's  house,  but  in  Surplice's  year 
it  was  altered  to  this  side,  and  the  horses  entered  the 
old  course  near  the  mile-post,  which  track  continued 
to  be  used  until  the  formation  of  the  present  '  high- 
level  '  course,  owing  to  what  was  known  as  the  '  Studd 
difficulty,'  on  that  gentleman  becoming  Lord  of  the 
Manor  of  Walton. 

One  evening,  in  the  spring  of  182S,  a  small  but 
merry  party  sat  at  the  dinner-table  of  that  fine  old 
ACheap Derby  English  gentleman,  Lord  Egrcmont.     The 

Winuer.  bottlo  was  in  active  circulation,  and  the 
good  old  peer  in  great  glee — his  friends  around  him, 
and  his  racehorses  the  theme.  '  What  will  you  do, 
my  lord,  with  that  Young  Whalebone  weed  in  the 
farther  paddock  ?'  quoth  one  of  the  guusts.  '  Sell 
him,'  was  the  reply.  '  The  price  ?'  '  A  hundred  and 
fifty.'  '  He  is  mine  !'  That  '  weed '  was  Spaniel,  winner 
of  the  Derby ! 

From  some  cause  or  other  Spaniel  went  so  badly  in 
the  Derby  betting  that  before  the  race  he  retreated 


224  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

in    the   betting    to    50   to   L      Wheatly,    the  jockey 

who  had  been  engaged  to  ride  the  horse,  had  backed 

his    mount    to   win    him    £200,    but,  be- 

An  Inciflpiit  of  ...    ,  .  , 

S|i:uiii4's  conung  alarmed,  hastened  to  the  man  who 
'^^^^'  had  laid  him  the  odds  to  bee:  oft'  the 
bet,  a  request  which  was  good-naturedly  complied 
with.  The  race  ended  as  has  been  recorded,  Avith 
the  triumph  of  jockey  and  horse.  The  news  of  victory 
in  due  time  reached  Mrs.  Wheatl}^  the  wife  of  the 
fortunate  and  unfortunate  jockey.  Overjoyed  at  the 
success  of  her  husband,  she  assembled  her  neigh- 
bours, and  provided  them  with  a  liberal  supper  and  a 
supply  of  good  liquor.  The  jockey's  health  was  (h'unk 
with  great  glee  by  his  wife  and  the  good  company. 
Next  morning  came  a  letter  from  the  husband  to  his 
loving  wife,  telling  her  that  he  had  won  the  race,  but 
had  unluckily  begged  ofi'  ail  his  bets  ! 

'  Honest,  true  and  able,'  Frank  Buckle  left  indeed 
a  blank  upon  the  turf,  which  since  his  death  has 
Friink  p.nckie :  ^ever  3'et  been  filled.     No  man  was  more 

a  Eulogy,  esteemed  in  public  for  integrity,  nor  in 
private  hfe  for  his  warm  friendship  and  frank,  free 
demeanour.  In  private  circles  he  was  talkative  and 
cheerful,  and  owing  to  the  stirring  scenes  in  which 
he  had  played  so  conspicuous  a  part,  his  conversa- 
tion proved  an  ample  fund  of  information  and  amuse- 
ment. He  excelled  in  anecdote,  the  subject  of  his 
remarks  being  either  some  well-known  public  character, 
some  excellent  horse,  or  some  feat  achieved  by  the  aid 
of  his  own  consummate  judgment.  May  he  rest,  as 
he  rode,  easily !  may  he  come  true  to  the  scale,  and 
may  the  turf,  which  ho  a.Iorned  while  living,  lie  light 
on  his  trrave ! 


DERBYANA.  225 

Touchstone  was  not  a  Derby  winnor,  but  be  was 

a  good  animal,  and  won  the  St.  Leger  at  Doncaster ; 

this  horse  was  G^reatly  prized  by  his  noble 

Lord  West-  ,     ,  P  i  i     r 

minsters  Price  owncr,   and    liis   answer  to   a   would  -  be 
for  a  Horse,     p^yg^jr^gcj.  ^vho  was  dssirous  of  securing 
the  colt  for  Germany  was :  '  A  German  principality 
could  not  buy  Touchstone.' 

No  sooner  had  the  Duke  of  Westminster's  horse 
won  the  Derby,  than  there  arose  a  rumour  that  Bend 
TheBeiKiOr  C>r  '  was  a  wrong  one,'  and  would  bo 
Scare.  objected  to.  As  there  is  never  smoke 
without  fire,  so  there  was  truth  to  a  degree  in  the 
report.  What  was  asserted  was  that  the  animal  which 
won  the  race  was  not  the  horse  it  was  represented  to 
be,  and  would,  therefore,  as  '  a  changeling,'  have  to  be 
disqualified.  It  (the  rumour  or  assertion,  or  what  it 
may  be  called)  proved  a  false  alarm,  the  babbling 
of  a  garrulous  old  stableman,  and  within  a  few  days 
it  was  seen  there  was  '  nothing  in  it  '\  but  had  it 
proved  true,  and  led  to  the  disqualfication  of  Bend  Or 
it  would  have  been  a  fine  thing  for  the  backers  of 
Robert  the  Devil.  Some  turfites  maintain  that  horses 
have  been  changed  before  now,  and  that  animals  have 
more  than  once  won  important  races  that,  as  Polly 
Eccles  says  in  the  play  of  '  Caste,*  *  had  no  business  to 
win.' 

At  one  period  in  its  history,  a  case  of  suicide  in 

connection    with   the   Blue   Ribbon    was    frequently 

j)^j.i,y        reported  ;  many  of  the    deaths,  however, 

Suicjues.  -which  were  so  recorded,  might  easily  have 
been  traced  to  other  causes.  The  first  Derby  suicide 
that  is  recorded,  so  far  as  is  known  to  the  writer,  is 

15 


226  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

that  of  the  Ht)n.  II,  A.  Berkeley  Craven,  which  took 
place  in  Bay  Middleton's  year.  Although  no  evidence 
was  otlered  at  the  inquest  that  the  melancholy  event 
was  caused  by  losses  on  the  race,  it  was  known  at  the 
time  that  if  Bay  Middleton  won  he  would  have  been 
totally  unable  to  defray  his  racing  debts,  '  a  posi- 
tion which  a  person  of  his  sensitive  feeling  of  honour 
was  unable  to  face.'  It  was  stated  at  the  time  of 
the  traefic  occurrence  that  he  would  have  been  a 
defaulter  to  the  extent  of  between  £8,000  and  £9,000, 
caused  by  '  backing  the  field  against  Lord  Jersey's 
Bay  Middleton.' 

The  custom  of  moving  the  adjournment  of  the 
House  of  Commons  over  the  day  appointed  for  run- 
The  Derby  in  ^^'^"'o  ^^^^  Derby  began  on  May  18,  1847, 
Pariiamtiit.  y^l^^xi  Lord  Gcorge  Bentinck  brought 
forward  a  motion  of  which  he  had  o-iven  notice,  '  that 
the  House  at  its  rising  do  adjourn  till  Thursday.'  In 
doing  so,  lie  stated  that  for  more  than  half  a  century 
the  Derby  Day  had  been  a  recognised  holiday.  The 
motion  was  agreed  to,  as  a  similar  motion  has  often 
been  since.  Joseph  Hume  and  John  Bright  used  to 
oppose  the  adjournment  of  the  House  for  such  a  pur- 
pose. Upon  one  occasion,  when  the  opposition  to  the 
custom  was  waxinc^  hot — it  was  in  18d0 — Lord  Palmer- 
ston,  in  answer  to  the  question  whether  or  not  the 
House  would  adjourn  for  the  Derby,  replied,  '  To 
adjourn  for  that  day  is  part  of  the  unwritten  law  of 
rarliament.' 


A    CHRONICLE    OF    THE    DERBY. 

FROM   DIOMED   TO   SAINFOIN. 

[The  following  list  of  Derby  winner?,  and  placed  as  well  as  other 
notable  horses,  will  perhaps  prove  useful  for  occassional  refer- 
ence. Incidents  of  importance  are,  of  course,  recorded  or 
alladed  to,  but  no  attempt  is  made  in  this  chronicle  to  'swell' 
the  narratives  given.  As  regards  fuur-fifths  of  the  races 
there  is  almost  nothing,  except  a  very  bald  record  of  what 
took  place,  to  fall  back  n])on  ;  and  those  struggles  for  the 
Derby  which  at  the  period  gave  rise  to  heated  controversiea 
can  be  now  more  calmly  recorded,  points  in  dispute  having 
long  since  been  fought  and  settled,  or,  if  not '  settled,'  having 
been  by  consent  abandoned,  each  party  retaining  their  own 
opinion.  No  consecutive  account  of  the  great  race,  so  far  as 
the  writer  is  aware,  has  ever  been  attempted  ;  but  a  founda- 
tion having  here  been  now  laid,  it  will  not  prove  a  difficult 
task  to  indite  at  some  future  t'.me  a  fuller  account.] 

It  was  on  Thursday,  May  4th,  1780,  that  tho 
first  race  for  the  Derby  Stakes  was  run  ;  there  were 
j^gQ  thirty-six  subscribers.  The  field  numbered 
Diomed.  nine  horses,  the  terms  of  the  contest  being 
stated  as  follows  :  '  The  Derby  Stakes  of  50  guineas 
each,  half  forfeit,  for  throe-year-old  colts,  8  st. ;  and 
fillies,  7  St.  11  lb.;  one  mile.'  The  winning  horse  proved 
to  be  Diomed,  a  chestnut  colt  by  Florizel  out  of  sister 
to  Juno,  by  Spectator,  and  was  the  property  of  Sir 
Charles  Bunbury.  No  record  is  extant  of  how  the 
race  was  run,  or  how  far  it  was  won,  but  a  complete 

15—2 


228  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

list  of  the  competing  horses  has  been  preserved,  and 
the  places  they  obtained.  The  horse  which  is  recorded 
as  running  second  is  Major  O'Kelly's  b.  c.  Boudrow, 
brother  to  Yevtumnus,  by  Eclipse  ;  Spitfire,  the  horse 
placed  third,  was  also  by  Eclipse  out  of  Houghton's 
dam,  and  was  the  property  of  Mr.  Walker;  Sir  F. 
Evelyn,  Mr.  Panton,  jun.,  H.R.H.  the  Duke  of  Cum- 
berland, Mr.  Sulsh,  Mr.  Delme  and  the  Duke  of  Bolton, 
also  ran  horses  in  the  first  race  for  the  Derby.  The 
wnnning  jockey  was  S.  Arnull,  who  was  so  fortunate  as 
to  have  the  mount  on  the  victorious  horses  of  1782, 
17S7,  and  1798.  The  betting  is  quoted  as  follows:  6 
to  4  against  Diomed  ;  4  to  1  against  Boudrow ;  7  to  1 
against  Spitfire,  and  10  to  1  against  the  Duke  of  Bol- 
ton's colt.  The  value  of  the  stakes  would  be  1,015 
guineas.  The  compiler  of  this  chronology  has  not 
been  successful  in  his  search  for  a  complete  list  of  the 
subscribers,  which  would  undoubtedly  prove  of  great 
interest.  The  J\Iessrs.  Weatherby  state  that  the  race 
did  not  close  till  the  horses  were  two-year-olds,  and 
that  the  race  "was  made  '  to  be  continued  the  following 
year,'  which  phrase  may  be  taken  to  m.ean  that  the 
subscribers  pledged  themselves  to  subscribe  again. 
One  at  least  of  the  newspapers  of  the  period  men- 
tioned the  event,  and  another  journal  tells  of  the 
break-down  of  a  one-horse  chaise  on  the  road  home 
from  Epsom,  No  public  interest,  in  fact,  had  yet 
attached  itself  to  a  race  ultimately  destined  to  become 
so  celebrated.  Ilorse-racing  in  the  first  year  of  the 
Derby  was  only  one  of  the  sports  of  Epsom ;  there 
was  cock-fighting  as  well :  and  in  the  year  1780  the 
Epsom   programme   had    been   strengthened   with   a 


A  CHRONICLE  OF  THE  DERB  Y.  229 

cock-fi'jht  between  the  frentlemen  of  Middlesex  and 
Surrey  a,nd  the  gentlemen  of  Wiltshire.  From  the 
fact  of  Diomed  starting  favourite,  the  success  of  Sir 
Charles  Bunbury's  colt  seems  to  have  been  expected. 
All  the  nine  starters  seem  to  have  been  '  place*!,'  but 
according  to  some  writers,  the  judge  placed  the  tirst 
four  animals  only,  and  these,  in  accordance  with  the 
fashion  of  the  period,  Avere  simply  designated  as  Mr. 
So-and-So's  b.  c.  or  b.  f ,  as  the  case  might  be.  The 
history  of  the  horse  which  won  the  first  Derb}-"  Stakes 
may  be  briefly  related.  Diomed  was  purchased  as  a 
foal  from  the  Hon.  Richard  Vernon,  of  Newmarket, 
and,  as  Sir  Walter  Srott  would  have  said,  was  'come 
of  good  kith  and  kin ' ;  among  his  ancestors  on  the 
dam's  side  being  Childers,  as  also  the  Paget  Turk  and 
the  Leedes  Arabian.  Previous  to  winning  the  Derby 
Diomed  had  been  recorded  victor  in  a  race  for  a 
sweepstakes  of  500  guineas  each,  six  subscribers,  run 
at  the  Sijrino:  Meetin'jf  held  at  Newmarket,  and  in 
which  he  carried  8  st.  According  to  the  list  of 
winning  horses  for  the  year  17S0,  published  in  the 
Racing  Calendar  for  that  season,  Diomed  won,  for  Sir 
Charles  Bunbury,  the  Derby  Stakes  of  1,015  guineas, 
and  other  races  which  increased  the  total  sum  to 
5,165  guineas.  Diomed  as  a  four-year  old  won  several 
races  of  considerable  value.  At  the  Newmarket 
Craven  Meeting  he  received  forfeit  from  Susannah, 
b.  c.,  500  guineas,  h.  ft. ;  he  Avon  the  Fortescue  Stakes 
of  300  guineas  each,  eleven  subscribers  ;  and  he  also 
won  the  Claret  Stakes  of  200  guineas  each,  h.  ft.,  four- 
teen subscribers.  At  Nottingham  he  experienced  the 
bitters  of  defeat  by  Fortitude,  and  was  also  beaten  by 


230  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

Boudrow,  the  horso  which  ran  second  to  him  at 
Epsom,  and  which  lie  had  previously  defeated  at 
Newmarket  in  tlie  big  sweepstakes  referred  to. 
Diomed  did  not  run  in  the  year  1782,  and  in  the  fol- 
lowing year,  although  he  won  the  King's  Purse  in 
three  four-mile  heats,  it  was  his  fate  to  be  beaten  on  six 
occasions.  Falling  lame,  the  horse  was  turned  out  of 
traininsf,  and  releixated  to  the  stud,  where  he  covered 
at  various  'places  at  fees  varying  from  five  to  ten 
guineas,  and  was  ultimately  sold  by  his  owner  for  fifty 
g.  lineas,  at  the  end  of  1798,  to  go  to  America,  where 
he  was  resold  for  a  sum  of  one  thousand  guineas.  He 
died,  however,  soon  after  changing  hands. 

A  complete  list  of  the  horses  comprising  '  the  field  ' 
for  the  first  race  for  the  Derby  cannot  fail  to  prove 
interesting : 

Sir  C.  Bunl)ur\'s  cb.  c.  Diomed,  by  Florizel  out  of  sister  to 
Juno,  by  Sjiectator-         -         -         -         -         -         -         -1 

Major  O'Kelly's  b.  c.    Boudrow,  brother  to  Vertunmus,  by 

Eclipse --2 

Mr.  Walker's  c.  Spitfire,  by  Eclipse  out  of  Houghtou's  dam  -  3 
Sir  F.  Evelyn's  b.  c.  Wotton,  by  Yauxhall  Snap  out  of  Miranda  4 
Mr.  Panton,  jtin.'s  c.  by  Herod,  dam  bv  Blank  -  -  -  5 
Duke  of  Cumberland's  c.  by  Eclipse,  dam  by  Spectator  -  6 

Mr.  Sul.^^bs  b.  c  by  Cardinal  Puff  out  of  Eloisa     -         -         -  7 
Mr.  Delme's  gr.  c.  by  Gimcrack  out  of  Haras  (VVolsey's  dam)  8 
Duke   of    BoltOT;'s   b.   c.   Bay  Bolton,  by  Matchem   out   of 
Brown  Regulus        -         -         -         -         -         -         -         -9 

The  winner  of  the  Oaks— for  which  eleven  fillies 
came  to  the  starting-po  t — was  Teetotum,  named  by 
Mr.  Douglas.  Tlie  first  race  for  the  Oaks  Avas  run  in 
the  preceding  year,  when  Bridget,  the  property  of 
Lord  Derby,  proved  successful ;  there  were  seventeen 
subscribers. 


A  CHRONICLE  OF  THE  DERBY.  231 

Although  there  was  a  subscriber  less  to  the  race  of 
1781,  six  additional  starters  came  to  the  post.    Victory 
jygj  fell   to  Major  O'Kell}^  his   horse  Young 

YouugEciipse.  Eclipse,  by  Eclipse,  ridden  by  Hindley, 
being  placed  first  by  the  judge  ;  Sir  J.  Lade's  colt 
Crop,  by  Turf,  being  second ;  and  Lord  Clermont's 
Prince  of  Orange,  by  Herod,  third.  Tlie  winner 
,  started  at  10  to  1,  Crop  being  favourite  at  5  to  4,  with 
'  high  odds  against  an}'  other.'  The  Duke  of  Cumber- 
land, I\lr.  Walker,  and  Mr.  Sulsli  again  ran  the  colts 
they  had  entered.  In  addition  to  his  horse  Prince  of 
Orange,  Lord  Clermont  also  ran  a  colt,  named  Arbutus, 
brother  to  Florus.  The  Duke  of  Queensberry,  Lord 
Derby,  Lord  Milfintown,  and  Lord  Craven  also  ran 
horses  in  the  second  Derby.  Other  gentlemen  wdio 
ran  their  colts  were  General  Smith,  Mr.  Kingsman, 
Mr.  Douglas,  and  Sir  C.  Danvers,  It  is  impossible  to 
give  particulars,  no  record  of  the  running  being  appar- 
ently in  existence.  The  conditions  of  the  race  were  in 
no  way  changed  from  those  which  pertained  to  the 
struggle  of  the  preceding  year.  A'alue  of  stakes  1.250 
guineas.  Ecli[)se,  which  was  the  sire  of  this  year's 
winner,  and  of  two  other  heroes  of  the  Derby,  namely, 
Saltram  (1783)  and  Serjeant  (17S4),  has  'a  history' 
which,  although  it  has  been  often  enough  related,  may 
be  again  briefly  told.  If  all  that  has  been  written 
about  him  can  be  believed,  he  was  a  wonderful  horse; 
but  as  the  timing  of  races  was  unknown  in  the  days  of 
O'Kelly's  colt,  it  is  quite  on  the  cards  that  wo  have 
had  in  these  latter  days  even  better,  or  let  us  say 
faster,  horses.  Still,  it  Avould  not  be  fair  to  under- 
estimate Eclipse,  who  was  claimed  as  the  sire  of  335 


232  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

winners,  who  took  among  thorn  a  sura  of  £1G0,000, 
besides  a  number  of  cups  and  phates.  His  career  on 
the  turf  extended  to  one  year  and  five  months  (and, 
be  it  noted,  he  only  made  his  ddbiii  when  he  was  a 
five-year-old),  during  whicli  he  won  for  his  owners  a 
sum  of  £2,500 — a  large  amount  in  those  daj's.  Eclipse 
was  bred  by  His  Royal  Highness  the  Duke  of  Cum- 
berland, who  ran  horses  in  the  Derby  of  1781, 1782,  and 
1783  without  success.  At  the  death  of  His  Royal  High- 
ness he  became  the  property  of  Mr.  Wildman,  a  sheep 
salesman,  who  purchased  him  for  the  insignificant  sum 
of  75  guineas ;  the  price  paid  by  O'Kelly  for  a  half- 
share  in  this  turf  gold-mine  was  250  guineas;  and 
ultimately  Eclipse  became  the  sole  property  of  the 
Irish  sportsman  for  an  additional  sum  of  750  guineas, 
raakinsjf  ],000  in  all.  Durinc^  his  short  reign  on  the 
turf  he  was  never  beaten.  The  following  horses  of  his 
'Gfet,'  in  addition  to  the  three  which  attained  the  first 
place,  ran  in  the  Derb}',  namely,  Spitfire,  who  was  third 
in  1780 ;  Alphonso  (in  addition  to  the  Avinner),  1781  ; 
Achilles  and  Plutus,  1782  ;  Dungannon  second,  and 
Cornet,  not  placed,  in  addition  to  the  winner,  in  1783 ; 
besides  Mr.  Davis's  ch.  c,  by  Herod,  dam  by  Eclipse — 
four  out  of  the  six  animals  which  composed  the  field  in 
that  year  were  by  Eclipse.  Serjeant,  by  Eclipse,  won 
the  Derby  of  1784  ;  next  year  Chauntt-r  and  Clarinet  re- 
presented this  grand  sire.  In  1786  ^Icteor  was  second, 
and  Scota  unplaced ;  both  of  these  were  by  Eclipse. 
Gunpowder,  second  in  1787,  and  Aurelius,  second  in  the 
succeeding  year,  continued  the  story  ;  whilst  an  Eclipse 
colt  ran  in  the  colours  of  the  Prince  of  Wales  in  the 
Derby  of  1789,  in  which  year  His  Royal  Highness  had 


A  CHRONICLE  OF  THE  DERB  V.  233 

two  horses  running  in  tlie  great  Epsom  event. 
Another  Eclipse  co)t  ran  in  1791,  the  last  of  the  direct 
line,  so  far  as  the  Derby  is  concerned ;  but  the  winner 
of  the  Derby  in  the  following  season  was  John  Bull,  by 
Fortitude  out  of  Zantippe,  sister  to  Don  Quixote,  by 
Eclipse. 

Lord  Grosvenor's  Faith  provel  the  winner  of  this 
year's  Oaks,  for  which  six  competitors  went  to  the  post. 

In  the  rubric  of  the  race  for  this  3'ear  appears  the 

statement  (see  Oiton's  'Annals  of  the  Turf),  'The 

1782        owner   of  the  second   horse   received    100 

Assassin,  guineas  out  of  the  stakes,'  which  is  the  only 
alteration  in  the  conditions.  There  was  again  an  entry 
of  thirty-tive  colts,  as  in  the  preceding  year,  and  the 
held  of  competitors  numbered  thirteen  animals,  being 
two  less  than  in  the  Derby  of  the  year  before.  The 
race  was  won  by  Lord  E-remont's  b.  c.  Assassin,  by 
Sweetbriar  out  of  Angelica,  by  Snnp,  the  successful 
jockey  being  again  S.  ArnuU.  Sweet  Robin  was  made 
favourite  at  the  start  at  the  price  of  3  to  1 ;  5  to  1 
against  Assassin,  and  10  to  1  aijainst  Fortunio.  The 
value  of  the  stakes  would  amount  to  1,200  guineas,  1,100 
of  which  would  fall  to  the  owner  of  the  winning  horse. 

The  following  list  comprises  the  names  and  pedi- 
grees of  the  runners : 

Lord  Egremont's  b.  c.  Assassin,  by  Sweetbriar  out  of  Angelica, 
by  Snap ...-l 

Lord  Grosvenor's  b.  c.  Sweet  Rol)in,  by  Sweetbriar  out  of 
Bonduca,  by  Bandy  -...-..  2 

Sir  C.  Bunbury's  b.  c.  Fortunio,  by  Florizel  out  of  Nettletrap  3 

Duke  of  Bolton's  ch.  c.  Achilles,  by  Eclipse ;  Mr. 
O'Kelly's    ch.   c.     Confederate,    by    Conductor ;    Mr. 


234  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

Napier's  b.  c.  G lancer,  by  Herod ;  Mr.  Turner's  b.  c.  by 
Ranthos  ;  j\Ir.  Vernon's  b.  c.  Berwick,  by  Florizel ;  Lord 
Clermont's  ch.  c.  FKrfcator,  by  Conductor;  Duke  of 
Cumberland's  b.  c.  Eparainondas,  by  Herod ,  Mr. 
Parker's  c.  Ascot,  by  Herod ;  Mr.  Fox's  c.  Brutus,  by 
Mark  Antony  ;  Sir  W.  Moore's  b.  c.  Plutus,  by  Eclipse. 

So  far  as  can  be  ascertained,  no  particulars  of  the 
Derby  of  1782,  the  third  of  the  series,  ever  were  pub- 
lished, the  race  not  having  then  attracted  the  attention 
of  journalists.  Notices  of  the  sires  of  Derby  winners  are, 
however,  not  difficult  to  discover  in  the  sporting  maga- 
zines of  the  period,  and  the  turf  histories  wliich  have 
been  compiled  from  them.  Eclipse  has  been  already 
noticed.  The  sire  of  the  first  winner  of  '  tbe  Blue 
Eibbon  of  tbe  Turf  was  Florizel,  who  was  also  the  sire 
of  Eager,  who  won  the  race  in  1791  for  the  Duke  of 
Bedford,  and  in  1792  and  1793  gave  two  winners  of 
the  St.  Leger,  in  Lord  A.  Hamilton's  Tartar,  and  Mr. 
Clifton's  Ninety-Three.  Sweetbriar,  sire  of  Assassin, 
was  a  chestnut,  and  was  foaled  in  17G9,  bred  by  Mr, 
Thomas  Meredith,  and  sold  to  Lord  Grosvenor.  He 
won  several  important  events  in  his  day,  and  was 
never  beaten,  but  he  paid  forfeits  on  three  occasions. 
Sweetbriar,  while  the  property  of  his  lordship,  stood  as 
a  sire,  and  came  into  considerable  request  at  a  con- 
siderable fee  for  the  period,  namely,  25  guineas  and 
80  guineas.  He  was  sold  at  Tattersall's,  in  1790, 
for  the  sum  of  20  guineas.  A  list  of  thirty  winners, 
of  which  Sweetbriar  was  the  sire,  is  contained  in 
Whyte's  '  History  of  the  Turf,'  Assassin  being  of  the 
number. 

Wiuh  odds  of  7  to  4  betted  on  her,  Lord  Grosvenor's 


A  CHRONICLE  OF  THE  DERBY.  235 

Ceres   won    this    yjai'd    Oaks,    boating    eleven   com- 
petitors. 

Only  six  of  the  tbirty-four  horses  entered  started  for 

the  Derby  of  1783,  the  winner  proving  to  be  Saltrarn, 

jr-gg  a  colt  nominated  by  Mr.  Parker.     It  was 

Sdtmm.  described  as  brother  to  Speianza,  by 
Eclipse  out  of  Virago,  by  Snaj3,  and  gave  another  win- 
ning mount  to  Hindley,  who  rode  Young  Eclipse  on 
the  second  of  the  series  of  races  for  the  Derby.  Colonel 
O'Kelly  ran  second  with  Dungannon,  also  'an  Eclipse 
horse ;'  the  same  gentleman  ran  another  '  Eclipse,' 
named  Cornet.  The  colt  which  was  placed  third  was 
Mr.  Stapleton's  Parlington,  by  Morwick  Ball  out  of 
Miss  Skeggs,  by  Matchem.  The  other  runners  were 
the  Duke  of  Queensberry's  Gonzales,  brother  to 
Slander,  by  Herod,  placed  fourth,  and  Mr.  Davis's 
eh.  c.  by  Herod,  dam  by  Eclipse.  Betting  on  the  race : 
5  to  2  as^ainst  Saltrarn,  5  to  2  asfuinst  Cornet,  0  to  1  ])un- 
trannon,  8  to  1  Gonzales,  10  to  1  the  other  two  colts. 
It  is  not  stated  whether  or  not  the  100  guineas  to  the 
second  horse  was  bestowed  this  j'car.  Value  of  the 
stakes,  900  guineas. 

The  Oaks  of  this  year  also  fell  to  Lord  Grosvenor,  by 
the  aid  of  his  ch.  tilly  Maid  of  the  Oaks,  which  started 
favourite  (4  to  1  against),  beating  nine  others. 

The   race   still  continues  to  be  run  on  Thursday. 

This  year  it  was  decided  on  May  20Lh,  victory  falling 

y.^^^  to  Colonel  O'Kelly,  by  means  of  Serjeant,  by 

SerjeHut.  Eclipse  out  of  Aspasia,  bj'  Herod,  who  was 
ridden  by  J.  Arnull.     Lord  Grosvenor's  gr.  c.  Carlo 


236  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

Khan,  by  Mambrino  out  of  Pigeon,  was  second ;  and 
Lord  Derbj^'s  Dancer,  by  Herod,  ran  third.  Other 
runners  were  the  Dulve  of  Cuniberhind's  Fencer,  which 
was  pLaced  fourth,  the  Duke  de  Chartres'  Cantator, 
Lord  Derby's  Collector,  Sir  C.  Danver's  Pitch,  Sir 
Charles  Bunbury's  Pharamond,  Mr.  Stapleton's  (un- 
named at  the  time)  ch.  c.  by  Herod,  dam  by  Gold- 
finder,  j\rr.  Douglas's  colt  Ishmiiel,  Lord  G.  H.  Caven- 
dish's br.  c.  Steady;  thus  eight  of  the  hoi'ses  were 
nominated  by  persons  of  high  rank.  1'hc  following  is 
a  brief  chronicle  of  the  state  of  the  odds  at  the  start : 
3  to  1  against  Serjeant,  5  to  1  Pitch  and  Dancer,  20  to 
1  Carlo  Khan.  There  were  thirty  subscribers,  and,  as 
has  been  enumerated,  eleven  starters.  The  value  of  the 
stakes  was  1,025  guineas.  The  weights  for  the  Derby 
were  this  year  fixed  as  follows :  colts,  8  st.  3  lb. ;  fillies, 
8  St.  The  distance  to  be  run  was  also  increased,  the  con- 
dition in  that  respect  being  '  the  last  mile  and  a  half.' 
Mr.  Burlton's  Stella  won  the  Oaks,  starting  at  the 
nice  price  of  20  to  1.  Lady  Teazle,  who  had  been 
made  favourite,  only  obtained  second  honours.  She 
was  the  property  of  Lord  Derby. 

A  few  words  are  all  that  need  be  said   about  the 

Derby  of  1785,  which  was  won  by  Lord  Clermont's 

j^gg        b  c.  Aimwell,  by  Mark  Antony  out  of  sister 

Aimweii.  to  Postmastcr,  by  Hero.d,  ridden  by  G. 
Hindley,  Value  of  the  race,  975  guineas.  Lord  Gros- 
venor's  Grantham  v^as  second  (it  was  favourite  in  the 
betting,  at  2  to  1).  Mr.  Wastell's  Verjuice  was  placed 
third.  Mr.  O'Kelly  started  two  of  his  horses  in  the 
race.      Lord   Grosvenor's   Vulcan    also    ran.     Sir   F. 


A  CHROXICLE  OF  THE  DERBY.  237 

Standish,  Lord  Foley,  and  Lord  Slierborno  also  ran 
horses.  Aimwell,  the  "winner,  started  at  7  to  1.  There 
were  twenty -nine  subscribers  to  the  Derl)y  of  1785. 

Lord  Clermont  had  the  good  fortune  to  win  the 
Oaks  as  well  as  the  Derby  of  1785,  being  the  first 
owner  to  secure  the  double  event.  Mr.  Parker  nearly 
achieved  the  same  feat  in  the  year  1783,  when  he  won 
the  Derby  with  Saltram,  and  was  second  for  the 
'Garter  of  the  Turf  with  Hebe;  in  the  previous  year 
Lord  Grosvenor  ran  second  for  the  Derby  with  Sweet 
Robin,  and  won  the  Oaks  with  Ceres,  having  tMken  the 
same  raee  in  the  previous  season  by  the  aid  of  Faith, 
and  bec.me  again  the  recipient  of  the  '  Garter  of  the 
Turf  in  the  following  year  (1783),  when  Maid  of  the 
Oaks  won.  Trifle,  the  Oaks  victress  of  1785,  was 
escorted  to  the  winning-post  by  Lord  Egremont's 
sister  to  Camilla,  who  got  second  place ;  Miss  Kitt}', 
the  property  of  the  Prince  of  Wales,  being  third, 
whilst  Mr.  Olvelly's  Boniface  Avas  placed  fourth. 

With  odds  of  30  to  1  betted  against  him,  Mr.  Pan  ton's 
Koble,  ridden  by  J.  White,  won  the  Derby  of  17SG. 
i7gg_  The  winner  was  by  Highflyer  out  of  Brim, 
Noble.  i^y  Squirrel.  The  other  horses  which  ran, 
fifteen  out  of  the  tvventy-nine  entered,  belonged  chiefly 
to  persons  of  title.  The  Dukes  of  Orleans  and  Queens- 
berry  each  contributed  a  runner,  so  did  His  Royal  High- 
ness the  Prince  of  Wales  ;  Lord  Grosvenor  ran  two  of 
his  colts,  whilst  Lord  Clermont  (who  won  the  race  in 
the  preceding  year)  and  Lord  G.  A.  Cavendish  each 
supplied  a  competitor,  as  did  also  Mr.  Wyndham  and 
Mr.  Douglas.    Mr.  O'Kelly  had  two  running  that  year. 


233  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

The  judge  awarded  second  lionours  to  Lord  Gros- 
venor's  Meteor,  the  third  place  being  occupied  by  Sir  H. 
Featherstonhaugh's  Smart,  afterwards  Claret.  Scota, 
one  of  Mr.  O'Kelly's  pair,  started  favourite  with  odds 
of  2  to  1  betted  against  her.  The  date  of  the  race  this 
year  was  Wednesday,  May  31st.  Highflyer,  the  sire 
of  this  year's  Derby  winner,  has  a  history.  He  was  a 
celebrated  horse,  ranking  about  third  in  fame  in  the 
days  of  his  career — Childers  and  Eclipse  only  coming 
before  him.  His  sire  was  King  Herod,  his  dam 
Rachel,  by  Blank.  Highflyer  was  foaled  in  1774,  and 
died  in  October,  1793  ;  he  was  bred  by  Sir  C.  Banbury, 
who  won  the  first  Derby  with  Diomed  ;  afterwards  he 
became  the  ])roperty  of  Viscount  Bolingbroke,  and 
was  then  sold  to  Mr.  Richard  Tattersall,  and  is  said  to 
have  laid  the  foundation  of  the  fortunes  of  that  famil}'. 
The  horse  had  a  famous  career  on  the  turf;  he  was 
never  beaten,  and  never  paid  forfeit,  and  was  probably 
the  best  horse  of  his  day.  His  winnings  are  said  to 
have  amounted  to  the  sum  of  £9,000,  a  large  amount 
for  the  period.  Highflyer,  so  soon  as  he  had  ceased 
to  race,  stood  as  a  stallion  at  the  country  seat  of  his 
owner — Highflyer  Hall,  at  Ely,  in  Cambridgeshire, 
where  he  became  the  sire  of  an  uncommon  number  of 
really  good  horses,  who  in  time  made  their  mark  either 
on  the  turf  or  at  the  stud. 

'  By  his  prolific  deeds  was  bnilt  a  court, 
Near  where  famed  Ely's  lofty  turrets  rise  ; 
To  this  famed  sultan  would  all  ranks  resort, 
To  stir  him  up  to  am'rous  enterprise.' 

It  has  been  calculated  that  the  progeny  of  Highflyer 
won  in   stakes,   from    1783  to  1801,  a  sum  of  over 


A  CHRONICLE  OF  THE  DERBY.  239 

£170,000.  He  sired  three  winners  of  the  Derb}',  four 
winners  of  the  St.  Leger,  and  one  winner  of  the  Oaks, 
whilst  his  sons,  in  their  turn,  became  sires  of  m;iny 
other  classic  celebrities,  the  names  of  which  will  be 
found  in  the  following  pages.  Other  two  of  the  sons 
of  Highflyer  ran  in  the  iJorby  of  17SG,  in  addition  to 
the  winner.  The  value  of  the  stakes  was  1,100  guineas. 
No  less  than  three  of  Highflyer's  daughters  took 
part  in  the  Oaks  of  the  same  3'ear,  one  of  them,  Letitia, 
being  second  to  Sir  F.  Standish's  chestnut,  the  Yellow 
Filly,  by  Tandem  out  of  Peitlita ;  the  third  in  the  race 
Avas  Scota,  which  also  ran  in  the  Derby — the  second 
instance  of  a  filly  taking  part  in  that  race.  There 
were  twenty- four  subscribers  to  the  Oaks  of  1786,  and 
thirteen  came  to  the  post.  J.  Edwards  rode  the 
winner. 

j^„g^  On  Thursday,  May  24th,  the  following 

Sir  Peter    scvcn  horses  started  for  the  Derby  of  the 

Teazle.  .     , 

period : 

Lord  Derby's  br.  c.   Sir  Peter  Teazle,  by  Highfljer  out  of 
Papillon  -.-----..-1 

]*.Ir.  O'Kelly's  cb.  c.  (Gunpowder,  by  Eclipse  -  -  -  -  2 
Mr.  Vernou's  ch.  c.  Bustler,  by  Florizel  -         -         -         -  3 

Lord  Grosvenor's  br.  c.  Mentor,  by  Justice  out  of  Sweet- 
briar's  dam;  Lord  Grosvenor's  b.  c.  Whitelegs,  by 
Justice  out  of  sister  to  Sweetbriar;  Mr.  Charlton's 
gr.  c.  Twitch,  by  Pontifex  ;  Mr.  Aston's  c.  by  Highflyer. 

Betting :  7  to  4  against  Bustler,  2  to  1  against  Sir 
Peter  Teazle,  3  to  1  against  Lord  Grosvenor,  and  8  to 
1  against  Gunpowder.  Value  of  the  stakes,  1,000 
guineas. 

From  the  above  list  it  will  be  seen  that  the  seventh 


243  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

Derby  was  won  by  a  horse  belonging  to  the  noblemin 
who  originated  the  contest,  or,  at  all  events,  after 
whom  it  was  named.  Ho  had  courted  fortune  previ- 
ously, with  King  William  in  1781,  and  with  Dancer 
and  Collector  in  1784,  but  without  success.  He  was 
more  fortunate  in  the  Oaks,  'The  Garter'  havInGf 
fallen  to  him  the  first  time  of  asking,  and  again  in 
]  794.  The  Earl  only  secured  one  Derby,  but  he  ran 
third  in  1790,  with  Lee  Boo,  and  secured  the  same 
place  with  Bustard  in  1792  ;  in  the  following  year 
his  lordship's  horse.  Kidney,  was  unplaced,  and  in 
1801  his  g.  c.,  by  Sir  Peter,  was  placed  seventh  in 
Orton's  lii:t  of  runners.  That  the  twelfth  Earl  of 
Derby  was  a  famous  breeder  of  horses,  a  right  good 
sportsman,  and  one  of  the  '  fine  old  English  country 
gentlemen  '  of  his  day,  there  is  abundant  evidence  to 
show.  His  lordship  lived  to  the  great  age  of  eighty- 
three  years  :  his  personal  character  has  been  alluded 
to  in  a  previous  page ;  here,  however,  it  Avill  be  ap- 
propriate to  say  something  about  his  stud  of  horses, 
and  those  of  them  which  became  distinguished  on 
the  turf.  It  is  said  that  the  winner  of  this  j^ear's 
Derby  was  named  Sir  Peter  Teazle  as  a  compliment  to 
his  Countess,  the  vivacious  and  beautiful  Miss  Farren, 
whom  he  elevated  from  the  stage  to  the  peerage,  one 
of  whose  fine  histrionic  assumptions  was  the  heroine 
of  Sheridan's  most  brilliant  comedy.  Sir  Peter,  who 
gained  for  his  lordship  '  the  Blue  Ribbon  of  the  Turf 
in  the  year  1787,  was  descended  from  the  famous 
Godolphin  Arabian.  That  fine  colt  was  bred  by  the 
lord  of  Knowsley  himself,  and  was  renowned  for  his 
speed ;  he  was  foaled  in  1784,  and  during  his  three 


A  CHRONICLE  OF  THE  DERBY.  241 

and  four  years  old  career  he  earned  a  great  reputa- 
tion and  v/on  for  his  noble  owner  a  large  sum  of  money 
in  stakes.  It  has  to  be  said  of  Sir  Peter  Teazle  that 
the  fame  he  acquired  on  the  race-course  was  per- 
petuated in  the  breeding  paddocks,  where  his  fee  rose 
from  ten  to  thirty  guineas,  and  horses  of  his  'get'  long 
(continued  to  make  their  mark  on  the  English  turf 
He  sired  in  his  time  a  large  number  of  winning  horses, 
and,  among  others,  the  following  winners  of  the  Derby  : 
Sir  Harry,  Archduke,  Ditto,  and  Paris,  as  also  Am- 
brosio,  Avinner  of  the  St.  Legcr  of  179G  ;  likewise  three 
consecutive  winners  of  the  same  race,  180G,  lri07,  and 
1S08:  these  were  Fyldener, Paulina  and  Petronius.  Two 
Oaks  heroines  were  got  by  the  same  sire,  Hermione  and 
Parasote.  Sir  Peter  Teazle  attained  the  venerable  age  of 
thirty  years,  and  stood  at  the  stud  to  the  last.  In  the 
earlier  half  of  his  career  as  a  stud  horse  he  earned  an 
immense  reputation,  so  great,  indeed,  as  to  induce 
numerous  applications  for  his  purchase,  among  others 
one  of  7,000  guineas  from  the  American  Consul. 
'Nay,'  replied  his  lordship,  '  I  have  already  refused  an 
offer  of  10,000  guineas  for  Sir  Peter.' 

The  Oaks  of  the  3'ear  was  won  by  a  filly  named 
Annette,  the  property  of  Mr.  Vernon ;  she  was  accom- 
panied to  the  post  by  seven  others,  of  which  three 
were  supplied  by  Lord  Grosvenor.  There  were  twenty- 
four  subscribers. 

This  year's  'Blue  Piibbon,'  competed  for  on  Thursday, 

j-gg        May   8th,  fell  to  His  Royal  Highness  the 

Sir  Thomas.  Princo  of  Wales,  his   horse,    Sir   Thomas, 

having  beaten  the  ten  Avho  raced  with  him  for  tho 

IG 


242  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

trophy.  There  were  thirty  horses  nominated  for  the 
race,  and  the  following  is  the  list  of  those  who  ran  : 

Prince  of  Wales'  cb.  c.  Sir  Thoraa'?,  by  Pontac  out  of  Sports- 
mistress  -.-----.--1 
Lord  Grosvenor's  cb.  c.  Aurelius,  by  Eclipse,  dam  by  Blank  -  2 
Lord   Karrymore's  b.  c.  Feenow,  by  Tandem  out  of  Crop's 

dam  ....--....3 

Lord  Foley's  cb.  c.  Altamont,  by  Garriclc.  dam  by  Hc-ro'l       -  4 
Mr.  Fox's  gr.  c.  Grey  Diomed,  by  Diorned  out  of  Grey  Dori- 
mout        -         -         -         -         -         -         -         -         --5 

Also  ran  •  Duke  of  St.  Alban's  b.  c.  brother  to  Cowslip, 
by  Highflyer ;  Mr.  Taylor's  b.  c.  Star,  by  Highflyer ; 
Lord  Clermoni's  b.  c.  Ponto,  by  H'mio  ;  Duke  of 
Queensberry's  b.  c.  Golia,  by  Giant ;  Mr.  Lade's  ch.  c. 
Conflaus,  by  Woo.lpecker ;  Mr.  Hall's  ch.  c.  by  Jupiter 
out  of  Amaranda. 

Betting:  6  to  5  on  Sir  Thomas  and  5  to  2  against 
Aurelius,     Vakie  of  the  stiikes,  925  guineas. 

His  Royal  Highness  the  Prince  of  Wales,  afterwards 
'  His  Majesty  George  the  Fourth,'  was  for  a  time  a 
keen  votary  of  the  sport  of  kings,  and  although  in 
some  matters  hewas  probably  more  sinned  against  than 
sinning,  he  found  his  name  in  bad  odour,  most  unkind 
thiuLTS  beiuLC  said  ret^ardino-  the  runnin<j^  of  some  of 
his  horses,  and  the  equivocal  conduct  of  Samuel 
Chifney,  his  jockey.  The  story  of  Escape  does  not 
belong  in  any  way  to  the  Derby,  but  what  was  called 
'the  out  and  in '  running  of  that  horse,  on  two  occa- 
sions, gave  rise  to  some  scandal  which  led  to  the  with- 
drawal of  His  Roj^al  Highness  from  all  turf  pursuits, 
and,  four  j'ears  later,  to  the  publication,  by  his  jockey, 
of  that  celebrated  work  '  Genius  Genuine,'  a  most  in- 
teresting book,  now  very  rare,  the  reprint  even  being 


A  CHRONICLE  OF  THE  DERBY.  243 

scarc3.  The  Escape  affiiir  is  thus  briefly  nariMted  in 
Whyte's  '  History  of  the  British  Turf  :  'On  the  20l!i 
October,  1791,  the  Prince  of  Wales'  best  horse,  Escape, 
ridden  by  the  late  Samuel  Chifney,  was  beat  by 
Coriander  (by  two  lengths)  and  Skylark,  for  the  Plate, 
for  which  he  was  the  favourite  in  the  betting,  "  Ditch 
In."  On  the  following  day,  the  betting  being  4  and  5  to  1 
against  Escape,  this  liorse,  jockeyed  again  by  Chifney, 
beat  Skylark  and  other  horses  easily.  Upon  this  a 
great  outcry  was  roised  at  Newmarket  by  the  losers, 
who  did  not  hesitate  to  say  that  Chifney  had  rode  to 
lose  on  the  20th,  and  that  the  Prince  of  Wales  was 
implicated  in  the  cheat.'  The  Prince  gave  up  racing 
for  a  time,  having,  as  we  have  read,  '  been  houmled  off 
the  turf  in  consei.|ueuce  of  his  popularity,'  which  was 
unbounded;  he  had  made  himself,  without  any  sacri- 
fice of  dignity,  '  everybodj^'s  body  :'  he  was  vociferously 
cheered  whenever  he  appeared.  The  Prince  returned 
to  the  turf  again  in  1826,  when  he  followed  the 
pastime  with  greater  ardour  than  before.  His  chief 
advisers  were  the  Chifneys,  whom  he  engaged  to 
manage  and  ride  his  horses,  some  of  which  were 
bought  at  big  prices. 

The  Oaks  was  won  by  Lord  Egremont's  Nightshade. 
His  lordship,  who  was  a  keen  sportsman,  had  tried 
several  times  to  obtain  the  '  Garter  of  the  Turf,'  and 
now  his  ambition  was  gratified.  There  were  seven 
runners  out  of  eighteen  nominations ;  the  winning 
jockey  was  again  Fitzpatrick.  The  Duke  of  Bedford 
ran  second  with  Busy,  and  Mr.  Wastell's  filly  by  Alfred 
out  of  Magnolia  was  third.  The  Duke  of  Grafton, 
Lord  Grosveni«r,  Sir  F.  Standish,  Lord  G.  H.  Cavendish, 

16—2 


244  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

comprised  the  other  owners  who  ran  their  fillies  in  tha 
race.     The  betting  was  2  to  1  o)i  Nightshade. 

The  Derby  Stakes  run  for  on  Thursday,  May  2Sth, 

of   this    year,    was   of    the   value   of    1,025   guineas. 

jygc,  Eleven  out  of  the  thirty  horses  entered 

Skyscraper,    started  for  the  race,  which  was  won  by  the 

favourite,  ridden  by  the  senior  Chiaiey. 

Duke  of  Bedford's  b.  c.  Skyscraper,  by  Highflyer  out  of 
Everlastin<4      ..------         -1 

Duke  of  Bedford's  b.  c.  S  r  George,  by  Bordeaux  out  of 
Dancer's  dam  -*--------  2 

Lord  Grosveiior's  b.  c.  brotlier  to  Skylark,  by  Highflyer        -  3 

Prince  of  Wales'  ch.  c.  Soujah  ul  Dowlah,  by  Eclipse  out  of 
Duchess  ----------4 

Prince  of  Wales'  ch.  c.  Cheyt  Sing,  by  Eclipse  or  Vertumnus  -  5 

The  following  also  ran:  Lord  G.  H.  Cavendish's 
ch.  c.  Competitor,  by  Ecli])se;  Lord  Grosvenor's  ch.  c. 
by  Pot-8-os  out  of  Maid  of  the  Oaks;  Duke  of  St.  Alban's 
b.  c.  Bashful,  by  Highflyer ;  Lord  Bairymore's  br.  c.  Sir 
Christopher,  by  Evergreen ;  Mr.  Lade's  gr.  c.  by  Panta- 
loon ;  Lord  Egremont's  b.  c.  Sublimate,  by  Mercury  out 
of  Blemish.  Betting :  7  to  4  on  Skyscraper,  7  to  2 
against  Soujah  ul  Dowlah,  100  to  8  against  the  Pot-8  os 
colt.  This  year  was  truly  an  aristocratic  Derby,  so 
far,  at  all  events,  as  the  owners  of  the  running  horses 
were  concerned — a  prince,  two  dukes,  and  four  lords 
all  supplying  competitors,  three  of  them  being  doubly 
represented.  His  Grace  the  Duke  of  Bedford  won 
the  Derby  on  two  other  occasions.  An  opportunity 
has  been  taken  in  a  preceding  |)age  of  this  volume  to 
refer  to  him  and  his  horses,  and  to  take  note  of  his 
career  as  a  sportsman. 


A  CHRONICLE  OF  THE  DERBY.  245 

The  O:\ks  was  ag'ain  won  by  Lord  Egremont,  by  tho 
aid  of  Tag,  by  Trentham  out  of  Venus,  by  Eclipse,  the 
jockey  on  this  occasion  being  the  senior  Cliifney, 
Lord  Grosven^ir  ran  second  with  his  filly  by  Justice 
out  of  Cypher ;  Mr.  Vernon's  Hope  was  third.  A 
fourth  Avas  also  placed ;  it  was  the  Duke  of  Grafton's 
])atrodil,  by  Magnet  out  of  Hebe.  The  Duke  of  Bed- 
ford had  also  a  runner,  whilst  Lord  Clermont  swelled 
the  field  with  two  of  his  fillies.  The  betting  at  the 
start  was  -5  to  2  against  Tag  and  Hope,  5  to  1  against 
Daffodil. 

Of  the  thirty-two  entries  for  the  Derby  of  this  year  ten 

came  to  the  starting-post  on  Thursday,  May  20th,  when 

.„„„  Lord  Grosvenor  ran  first  and  second,  beat- 

1/90.  _  .  .  . 

EiiiKiiiman-     ing  all  liis  aristocratic  companions  in  arms. 

tlius.  ... 

The  following  list  will  show  the  strength 
of  the  field : 

Lord  Grosveuor's  br.c.  Rhndamanthus,  by  Justice  out  of  Flyer  1 
Lord  Gro.svennr's  cb.  c.  Asparagus,  by  Pot-8-os,  dam  by  Justice  2 
Lord  Derby's  b.  c.  Lee  Boo,  brother  to  Hope,  by  Florizel  -  3 
Prince  of  Wales"  b.  c.  Chimbone,  by  Mambrino  out  of  Tabitha  4 
Mr.  Pantou's  b.  c.  Griffm,  by  Woodpecker  out  of  Hyajna       -  5 

There  also  ran :  the  Prince  of  Wales'  b.  c.  Fitz- 
william,  brother  to  Rockingham  ;  Lord  Foley's  Rattler, 
by  Liiperator;  Lord  Clermont's  b.  c.  Bagho,  biother  to 
Markho  ;  Duke  of  Queensberry's  gr.  c.  Burgundy,  by 
Bordeaux ;  Mr.  Panton's  b.  c  Ostrich,  by  Woodpecker. 
Betting:  5  to  4  against  Rhadamanthus,  4  to  1  against 
Asparagus,  5  to  1  against  Grifiin,  7  to  1  against  Leo 
Boo.  The  winner  was  ridden  by  J.  Arnull.  Value 
of  stakes,  1,050  guineas.  Lord  Grosvenor  in  his  day 
was  a  more  than  ordinarily  fortunate  sportsman,  seeing 


246  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

that  he  won  the  Derby  on  three,  and  the  Oaks  on  six 
occasions,  three  of  his  victoi  ies  following  in  consecutive 
years.  Including  his  first  and  second  upon  the  present 
occasion,  liis  lordship  had  started  thirteen  horses  for  the 
Derby.  His  lordship  would  in  all  likelihood  have  won 
another  Derby  Avith  some  one  of  the  six  colts,  all  got  by 
his  favourite  stallion  John  I3ull,Avhich  had  been  nomi- 
nated for  the  race  at  the  period  of  his  death.  Ho  died 
in  the  year  1802 ;  and  as  he  began  his  sporting  career, 
so  far  as  the  turf  was  concerned,  in  1753,  it  will  be 
seen  that  his  experience  of  the  pastime  was  a  long 
one.  He  was  in  his  day  the  owner  of  one  of  the  most 
extensive  and  valuable  studs  in  the  kingdom,  and  had 
some  very  successful  racehorses  always  running  in  his 
colours.  John  Bull,  winner  of  the  Derby  in  1792,  one 
of  his  lordships  most  valuable  stallions,  died  in  1814. 
He  had  a  good  pedigree,  his  sire  being  Fortitude,  who 
was  got  by  Herod.  John  Bull  was  the  sire  of  Alfred, 
Cassario,  Enterprize,  Ferdinand,  Muly  Moloch,  and 
others. 

All  the  sporting  aristocrats  of  the  day  ran  their 
horses  at  this  period  in  the  classic  races.  The  Prince 
of  Wales,  the  Dukes  of  Bedford  and  Queensberry,  Lords 
Grosvcnor,  Derby,  and  G.  H.  Cavendish,  all  ran  horses 
in  the  Oaks  of  this  year,  for  which  the  following  were 
placed  by  the  judge,  out  of  the  twelve  which  formed 
the  field : 

Duke  of  Bedford's  ch.  Hippolytn,  by  Mercury  out  of  Hip,  by 
Herod -        -  1 

Lord  Grosvenor's  cb.  Mistletoe,  by  Pot-8  os  out  of  Maid  of  tbe 
Oaks 2 

Puke  of  Bedford's  b.  f.  by  Giant  out  of  Heinel     -         -         -  3 

Mr.  Vernon's  ch.  Crazy,  by  Woodpecker  out  of  sister  to 
Mercury  .---------4 


A  CHRONICLE  OF  THE  DERBY.  247 

Betting:  5  to  2  against  Crazy, 3  to  1  against  Mistletoo, 
G  to  1  against  Hippolyta,  10  to  1  against  Louisa. 

Nine  horses  selected  from  the  thirty-two  nominated 
came  to  the  post  to  compete  for  the  '  Blue  Ribbon '  of 
j„qj  June  9th,  ITUl,  when  the  Duke  of  Bedford 
Eager.  was  accorded  the  trophy.  His  grace  also 
won  the  Oaks,  with  Portia.  The  following  list  em- 
braces all  the  horses  that  started  for  the  Derby,  of 
which  four  seem  to  have  been  placed  by  the  judge: 

Duke  of  Bedford's  br.  c.  Eager,  by  Flovizel  out  of  Fidget's 

dam  -.-..-----1 
Lord  Foley's  br.  c.  Yermin,  by  ITigbflyer  out  of  Rosebud  -  2 
Lord  Egremoiit's  b.  c.  Proteus,  by  Mercury  out  of  Pastorella  3 
Prince  of  Wales'  cb.  c.  St.  David,  by  Sallram         -         -         -  4 

Prince  of  Wales'  b.  c.  by  Highflyer,  dam  by  Engineer ; 
Mr.  Vernon's  gr  c.  by  Garrick  out  of  Blowzy ;  Sn* 
Charles  Bunbury's  b.  c.  Playfellow,  by  Diomed,  dam 
by  Turf;  Mr.  Graham's  ch.  c.  by  Eclipse,  dam  by 
Pincher ;  Lord  Grosvenor's  br.  c.  Gumcistus,  by  Pot-8-os 
out  of  Elfrida.  Betting :  5  to  4  against  Vermin,  5  to  2 
a'j^ainst  Eacjer,  8  to  1  jio-ainst  St.  David,  10  to  1  against 
Proteus,  The  name  of  the  winning  jockey  was  Ste- 
phenson, and  the  value  of  the  stakes  would  amount  to 
1,025  guine;is. 

None  but  persons  of  title  ran  their  fillies  in  the 
Oaks,  among  others  the  Prince  of  Wales,  the  Dukes  of 
Grafton  and  Bedford,  as  also  Lords  Grosvenor,  Bany- 
more,  and  Egremont.  Tlie  subscription  list  for  1791 
included  thirty-ei'dit  fillies,  as  against  the  eighteen  of 
the  three  previous  years,  and  the  twenty-four  of  1785, 
1786,  and  1787,  which  is  some  proof  that  the  race  was 


248  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

by  this  time  increasing  in  favour  with  owners  and 
nominators.  His  Grace  the  Duke  of  Bedford  was  this 
year  again  the  fortunate  recipient  of -the  'Garter  of  the 
Turf.*  The  name  of  the  winner  was  Portia,  by  Vohm- 
teer  out  of  sister  to  Sting,  by  Herod.  J.  Singleton 
was  the  jocke}' ;  and  the  betting  at  the  start  was  5  to 
2  against  the  winner.  There  were  nine  starters  for  the 
race,  Lord  Grosvenor's  Astnta  being  second,  Sir  F. 
Poole's  Kezia  third.  The  Prince  of  Wales,  the  Duke 
of  Grafton,  and  Lord  Egrcmont  were  also  represented 
in  the  race,  which  took  place  on  Friday,  June  10th. 

This  year,  for  the  third  time  in  succession,   there 
1792        were   thirty-two    subscriptions    taken   out 
Johu  BuU    for  the.  Derby  of  May  24th,  for  which  the 
following  colts  came  to  the  post : 

Lord   Grosvenor's  ch.  c.   John   Bull,  by  Fortitude    out    of 

Zautippe           ..---..--1 
Lord  Clermont's  b.  c.  Speculator,  by  Tiumpator  out  of  Fan- 
tail's  dam         - -2 

Lord   Derby  s  b.  c.  Bustard,  by  Woodpecker  out  of   Matron, 

by  Alfred 3 

Mr.  Graham's  ch.  c.  Lyricus,  by  Dungannon  -         -         -         -  4 
Mr.  Wyndham's  b.  c.  St.  George,  by  Highflyer       -         -        --5 
Prince  of  Wales'  b.  c.  Whiskey,  by  Saltram  -         -         -         -  G 
Duke  of  Queensberry's  bl.  c.  by  Pharamond  out  of  Pecker's 
dam  -----.-.---7 

Betting  :  6  to  4  on  John  Bull,  5  to  2  against  Bustard, 
8  to  1  against  Whiskey,  100  to  1  against  Speculator. 
The  value  of  the  stakes  would  this  3'ear  be  795 
guineas.  Some  notice  has  already  been  taken  of  John 
Bull :  Whiskey,  who  became  the  sire  of  Eleanor, 
who  in  ISOI  was  hailed  winner  of  the  double  event 
of  Derby  and  Oaks,  as  also  of  Pelisse,  who  won  '  The 


A  CHRONICLE  OF  THE  DERB  V.  249 

Garter'  for  tlie  Duke  of  Grafton,  in  1S04,  must  bo 
passed  over  in  the  meantime.  For  the  tirst  time  the 
name  of  the  winning  jockey  (F.  Buckle)  is  given  this 
j-ear  in  Orton's  '  Annals  of  the  Turf  He  was  one  of 
the  most  celebrated  horsemen  of  his  time,  and  won 
the  Derby  on  five  occasions  ;  on  two  occasions  he  won 
tlie  St.  Leger,  on  Champion  in  1800  (a  horse  which 
won  the  Derby  of  the  same  year),  and  on  Sanclio  in 
1804. 

F.  Buckle  was  successful  in  winnini?  the  Oaks  no 
less  than  eight  times,  three  of  his  victories  being 
gained  in  consecutive  years.  Lord  Grosvenor  also 
ran  third  in  the  Oaks  of  this  year,  Avhich  was  "won  by 
Lord  Clermont's  Viol  ante,  the  same  nobleman's  Trum- 
petta  being  second,  Lord  Grosvenor  being  third  with 
Boldface.  Eleven  ran,  the  Prince  of  Wales,  the  Duke 
of  Grafton,  Lord  Barrymore,  Lord  Egremont,  and 
Lord  Winchelsea,  rdl  having  representatives  in  the 
race.  C.  Hindi ey  was  the  pilot  of  the  winner.  The 
betting  was  *  5  to  4  the  field  against  Trumpetta  and 
Violante.' 

As  will  be  seen  from  the  following  complete  list  of 
starters,  ten  of  the  horses  competing  belonged  to 
1793  gentlemen  of  title ;  indeed,  this  must  be 
Waxy,  put  down  as  a  somewhat  memorable  year, 
freeing  that  the  number  of  subscriptions  had  reached 
fifty,  and  that  the  race  was  run  in  the  presence  of  the 
Prince  of  Wales.  The  day  on  which  the  Derby  of 
1793  was  decided  Avas  Thursday,  May  ICth.  The 
names  of  the  thirteen  horses  which  took  part  in  the 
struggle  are  as  follows : 


250  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

Sir  F.  Poole's  b.  c.  Waxy,  by  Pot-S-osout  of  Maria,  by  Hi  rod  1 
Lord   Egremont's   b.  c.  (iohanna,  brother  to  Precipitate,   by 

IMercury  ---.-....2 

Lord  Giosvenor's  b.  c.  Triptolerau*!,  by  Pot-8-os  -  '  -  -  3 
Lord  Grosvenor's  ch.  c.  Druid,  by  Pot-8-os  -  -  -  -  4 
Mr.  Hull's  ch.  c.  Xauthns,  by  Volunteer  -         -         -         -5 

Sir  F.  Staudish's  gr.  c.  Darsham,  by  Crop,  dam  by  Herod       -  6 

Also  ran  the  followinc^ :  Lord  Derby's  b.  c.  Kidney, 
by  Pot-8-os  ;  Lord  Strathmore's  ch.  c.  by  Mercury  out 
of  Cowslip  ;  Lord  Grosvenor's  b.  c.  Lilliput,  by  Pot-8-os; 
Lord  Grosvenor's  ch.  c.  by  Pot-8-os  out  of  Perdita; 
^Ir.  Kaye's  ch,  c.  Gay  Deceiver,  by  Phii^nomenon 
out  of  Ptecovery ;  Sir  F.  Poole's  b.  c.  Mealey,  by 
Pot-Sos  ;  Mr.  Philip's  b.  c.  Brother  to  King  David, 
by  HighHyer. 

Betting:  11  to  10  on  Gohanna,  8  to  1  against 
Xanthus,  10  to  1  against  Druid,  12  to  1  against  Waxy. 
Clift  rode  the  winner.     Value,  1,575  eiiineas. 

Orton  gives  the  following  note  :  *  This  race  was  de- 
cided in  the  presence  of  as  numerous  a  company  as 
Avas  ever  before  witnessed.  His  Pioj^al  Highness  the 
Prince  of  Wales  appeared  on  the  course  about  half- 
past  twelve  o'clock,  and  in  a  few  minutes  after  the 
liorses  started.  Gohanna  took  the  lead,  and  made 
running  up  to  Tattenham  Corner,  where  Waxy  passed 
him,  was  never  headed,  and  won  very  easy.  Waxy 
was  so  little  thought  of  for  the  race,  that  at  Tatter- 
sail's  rooms  his  name  was  never  mentioned.'  As  will 
be  seen  from  the  list  of  runners,  Pot-8-os  sired  no  less 
than  seven  of  the  runners,  including^  the  winner,  and 
Pot-8-o's  colts  had  run  in  throe  previous  iJorbys. 
Pot-8-os  won,  or  v/.dkcd  over,  for  about  twenty-five  races 
during  his  career  on  the  turf,  and  afterwards  became 


A  CHROXICLE  OF  THE  DERBY.  251 

celebrated  as  a  sire  ;  a  majority  of  tlie  Derby  winners 
claim  to  be  of  his  blood.  This  great  horse  was  got  by 
Eclipse  out  of  Sportsmistress,  foaled  in  1773;  he  died 
early  in  November,  1800.  A  curious  anecdote  is  re- 
lated as  to  how  he  came  by  his  name  of  '  Pot-S-os.'  It 
was  always  intended  by  his  breeder,  Lord  Abingdon, 
that  he  should  be  called  Potatoes,  and  upon  the 
occasion  of  his  lordship  mentionmg  to  his  trainer  that 
such  was  his  intention,  a  stable  lad  who  had  been  hs- 
tening  to  the  conversation  could  not  refrain  from 
uttering  a  hearty  '  Oh  my !'  This  tickled  the  fancy  of 
Lord  Abingdon,  who  then  asked  the  boy  if  he  could 
write  ;  and  on  being  answered  in  the  aHirmative,  re- 
plied :  '  Well,  my  lad,  take  that  bit  of  chalk,  and  write 
down  the  name  on  the  top  of  the  corn- chest,  and  you 
shall  have  a  crown  if  you  do  it  correctly.'  The  boy 
took  the  chalk,  and  wrote  the  word  his  own  way,  as 
some  say  '  Fot-S-os,'  and  as  others  say  Potouooouoos. 
Ko  matter  which  of  these  ways  it  was,  the  boy  got 
the  crown,  and  his  lordship  adopted  the  boy's  ortho- 
graphy. Pot-8-os  was  also  the  sire  of  the  Derby  winners 
of  1800  and  1802.  Waxy  in  turn  became  the  sire  of 
four  winners  of  the  'Blue  Ribbon'— 1809,  1810,  1814, 
1815 — and  AVhalebone,  one  of  Waxy's  colts,  of  three 
winners ;  whilst  Gohanna,  the  second  in  the  Derby  of 
1793,  became  the  sire  of  Cardinal  lieaufort,  the  winner 
of  the  Derby  in  1805.  "Waxy  also  contributed  three 
winners  of  the  Oaks. 

The  Oaks  of  1793  Avas  run  on  Friday,  ]\Iay  l7t]i, 
upon  which  occasion  there  were  thirty-seven  subscri- 
bers and  ten  competitors,  the  Duke  of  P)edford  carrying 
off  the  prize  by  the  aid  of  Coilia,  who  was  ridden  by  J. 


252  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

Singleton,  and  who  started  for  the  race  with  odds  of 
4  to  1  against  her.  Black  Puss,  the  propert}^  of  Mr. 
Golding,  was  second,  the  Duke  of  Bedford's  Piachael 
being  third. 

Although  the  entries  were  but  one  less  than  in  the 

previous  year,  forty-nine  against  fifty,  only  four  horses 

jyr)^_       started  for  the  Derb^r  of  this  year,  which 

Dcfcdaius.  ^vag  run  on  Thursday,  June  5th.  The  fol- 
lowing are  the  four  colts  which  comprised  the  field, 
the  smallest  that  ever  started  for  the  race  : 

Lord  Grosvenor's  br.  c.  Dcednlns,  by  Justice  out  of  Flyer,  by 
Sweetbriar       --...----1 

Lord  Egreniont's  br.  c.  Ragged  Jack,  by  Highflyer  out  of 
Camillia  .--..----2 

Duke  of  Bedford's  ch.  c.  Leon,  by  Dungannon      -         -         -  3 

Loid  Grosvenor's  b.  c.  Young  Drone,  out  of  Anna  -         -  4 

Bettinof:  5  and  G  to  4  on  Leon,  2  to  1  against  Ragged 
Jack,  6  to  1  Dtedalus.  The  successful  jockey  was 
F.  Buckle,  and  the  value  of  the  stakes  would  amount 
to  1,325  guineas.  The  second  horse  received  100 
guineas. 

The  Oaks  fell,  for  the  second  time,  to  the  Earl  of 
Derby,  by  the  aid  of  his  filly  Hermione,  by  Sir  Peter 
Teazle  out  of  Paulina,  ridden  by  S.  Arnull.  There 
were  thirty-one  subscribers;  and  the  field  comprised 
eii^^ht  fillies,  Lord  Grosvenor  having  two  in  the  race. 

The    following    eleven   formed    the   field    for   the 
1795  Derby  of  this  year,    which    was   run  on 

Spread  Eagle.  Thursday,  May  21st.  There  were  forty- 
five  subscribers. 


A  CHRONICLE  OF  THE  DERBY.  253 

Sir  F.  Standislj's  b.  c.   Spread  Eagle,  by  Volunteer  out  of 
Eaule's  dam     ---------1 

Lord  E'Tremont's  b.  c.  Caustic,  brother  to  Precipitate     -         -  2 
Sir  F.  Poole's  br.  c.  Peiter,  by  Fortunio  out  of  i\Iica:ia  -  3 

Mr.  Dawson's  b.  c.  Diamond,  by  Highflyer  out  of  Screveton's 
dam  ----..--..4 

Lord  Grosvenor's  b.  c.  Yorkshire  Bite,  by  Pot-8-os  out  of  Sting  5 

Also  ran :  Lord  Egremont's  b.  c,  by  Mercury,  dam 
by  Highflyer;  Duke  of  Bedford's  br.  c.  Brass,  brother 
to  Hermione,  by  Sir  Peter;  ^Ir,  Durand's  br.  c.  by 
Sal  tram  out  of  Pyrffimons,  dam  by  Eclipse ;  i\Ir. 
Kallet's  ch.  c.  Volunteer,  dam  by  Herod  ;  Mr.  O'Kelly's 
br.  c.  by  Volunteer,  diim  by  Evergreen ;  Mr.  Turner's 
b.  c.  Miller,  by  Volunteer  out  of  Maid  of  the  Mill. 
]>ettlng :  5  to  2  against  Spread  Eagle,  5  to  2  against 
Lord  Egremont's  colt  (dam  by  Highflyer),  3  to  1 
against  Yorkshire  Bite,  9  to  1  against  Peiter.  A, 
"Wheatly  rode  the  winner,  and  the  value  of  the  prize 
would  be  1,400  tjuineas. 

Lord  Egremont's  Platina,  sister  to  Silver,  won  the 
Oaks.  The  filly  was  ridden  by  Fitzpatrick,  who  had 
twice  before  proved  the  successful  jockey  of  the  ladies' 
race.  Lord  Grosvenor's  Ariadne  ran  second.  There 
Avere  forty-two  subscribers  and  eleven  runners,  but 
only  the  above  two  were  placed.  The  winner  and 
another  filly  of  Lord  Egremont's  were  quoted  in  the 
betting  at  3  to  1  asjainst  them. 

The  race  for  the  Derby  Stakes  (the  seventeenth)  was 

run  on  Thursday,  May  12th,  and  was  again  Avon  by 

^^(jj,,        Sir  F.  Standish,  the  victorious  horse  being 

Dideiot.  ridden  by  J.  Arnull,  the  value  of  the  stakes 
'being'  1,400  guineas.  Out  of  forty-five  nominated  for 
the  race,  eleven  ran. 


254  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

Sir  F.  Standish's  b.  c.  Dldelot,  by  Trumpator  out  of  Spread 

Ea<?le's  dam  (Buckle) 1 

Mr.  Hallett's  b.  c.  Stickler,  brother  to  Diamond,  by  Highflyer  2 

Duke  of  Bedford's  b.  c.  Leviathan,  by  Highflyer    -        -         -  3 

The  following  also  formed  part  of  the  field:  Mr. 
Smith's  b.  c.  Little  Devil,  by  Dangannon  ;  Duke  ot 
Queensberry's  ch.  c.  by  King  Fergus,  dam  by  Sweet- 
briar;  Mr.  Bullock's  ch.  c.  Hanger,  by  Javelin  ;  Lord 
Egremont's  b.  c.  PiubinelH,  by  Mercury  out  of  Rose- 
berry;  Sir  H.  V.  Tempest's  ch.  c.  by  Volunteer  out 
of  Hip  ;  Sir  F.  Standish's  b.  c.  Mr.  Teazle,  by  Sir  Peter 
out  of  Horatia  ;  Mr.  Bullock's  b.  c.  Arthur,  by  Buzaglo ; 
j\[r.  Lade's  b.  c.  Oatlands,  by  Dangannon  out  of  Letitia. 
Betting:  10  to  8  against  Mr.  Teazle,  9  to  2  against 
Leviathan,  7  to  1  against  Stickler.  The  above  appears 
to  have  been  the  last  appearance  of  the  Duke  of 
Queensbcrry  on  the  Derby  stage.  Many  sketches  of 
this  eccentric  nobleman's  career  on  the  turf  have 
been  written,  and  the  peccadilloes  of  '  OM  Q.,'  as  he 
Avas  called,  have  more  than  once  been  painted  with  a 
vigornus  brush.  Very  harsh  things  were  said  of  him, 
most  of  them  probably  being  undeserved. 

Parasote,  by  Sir  Peter  out  of  Deceit,  the  property  of 
Sir  F.  Standish,  starting  at  odds  of  7  to  2  against, 
was  the  winner  of  this  year's  Oaks,  for  which  there 
were  twelve  starters.  Parisot  was  ridden  by  J.  Arnull. 
Mr.  Harris's  Miss  Whip,  by  Volunteer,  was  second, 
Mr.  Phillip's  Outcast,  by  Pot-8-os,  being  third.  There 
were  forty-two  subscribers,  and  Frisky,  who,  however, 
ran  out  of  the  course,  started  favourite. 

Sir  F.  Standish's  br.  c.  Stamford,  by  Sir  Peter  out 


A  CHRONICLE  OF  THE  DERBY.  255 

of  Iloratia,  starte.l  favourite  for  this  year's  Derb}^  but 
,-„-  could  cret  no  nearer  than  fourth,  beini.''  in 

Colt  by  Fuiget.  the  middle  of  the  tield  with  three  in  front 
r.nd  three  behind  hira,  the  lace  being  won  by  the 
Duke  of  Bedford's  br.  c.  by  Fid^-et  out  of  Sister  to 
rharamond,  by  Highflyer.  The  number  of  starters 
out  of  an  entry  of  thirty-seven  was  only  seven,  and  all 
(if  them  w^ere  placed.  The  winner  started  at  10  to  1. 
The  race  was  run  on  Thursday,  June  1st.  The  follow- 
ing horses  composed  the  field,  and  J.  Singleton  rodo 
the  winner : 

Duke  of  Bedford's  br.  c.  by  Fidget  out  of  Sister  to  Pharamond  1 
Lord   Grosvenoi  s  ch.  c.  Esculus,  by  Meteor  out  of  Maid  of 

the  Oaks 2 

Lord  Darlington's  b.  c.  Plaistow,  by  Alexander  -  -  -  3 
Sir  F.  Standi- h's  b.  c.  Stamford,  by  Sir  Peter  out  of  Iloratia  4 
Sir  C.  Bunbury's  br.c.  Vv' rangier,  by  Diomed  out  of  Fleacateher  5 
Lord  Egreinont's  ch.  c.  Came'eon,  by  Wookpecker  -         -  6 

Lord  Egreniont'.s  ch.  c.  Young  Woodpecker,  by  Woodpecker 

or  Precipitate  -  -.----.-7 

Bettino::  11  to  8  against  Stamford,  2  to  1  against 
Plaistow,  10  to  1  against  the  Duke  of  Bedford's  colt, 
20  to  1  against  Esculus.  Value  of  the  slakes,  1,100 
guineas. 

F.  Buckle,  destined  to  be  famous  as  the  rider  of 
nine  winners  of  the  Oaks,  rode  Nike,  who  this  year 
secured  for  Lord  Grosvenor  'the  Garter  of  the  Turf,' 
being  his  lordship's  fourth  victory.  Sir  F.  Poole  w^as 
second  with  Mother  Shipton  ;  Mr.  Broadhurst's  Rose, 
by  Young  Eclipse,  being  third.  There  were  thirty-ono 
nominations,  and  five  runners.  Kike  started  at  odds 
of  15  to  8  against  her. 

The   nineteenth   Derby  was  won  by  a  son  of  Sir 


256  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

Peter  Teazle— Sir  Harry— ridden  by  S.  Arnull.     The 
j^Ygg        race  took  place  on   Thursday,  May  24th, 
Sir  Harry,    -vvhcii  Gilt  of  thc  tliivty-seveii  colts  nomi- 
nated, ten  were  seen  at  the  starting-post.     The  follow- 
ing three  were  placed  by  the  judge: 

Mr.  C(  okson's  b.  c.  Sir  Ilarr}',  by  Sir  Peter  oat  of  Matron  -  1 
Mr.  Baldock's?  br.  c.  Telegraph,  by  Sir  Peter  out  of  Fame  -  2 
Mr.  Deliiie"s  b.  c.  Young  Spear,  by  Javelin  out  of  Juliana      -  3 

The  other  runners  were :  Lord  Egreinont's  ch.  c. 
Bobtail,  by  Precipitate ;  Lord  Grosvcnor's  br.  c. 
Admiral  Nelfion,  by  John  Bull  ;  Lord  Grosvenor's 
b.  c.  Worthy,  brother  to  Wax}',  by  Pot-8-os  ;  Lord 
Clarendon's  b.  c.  Brother  to  Ptecruit,  by  Volunteer; 
Mr.  Durrand's  b.  c.  Sheet  Anchor,  by  Noble;  Mr. 
Concannon's  ch.  c.  Sparrow-Hawk,  by  Falcon;  Mr. 
Perren's  b.  c.  Young  Javelin,  by  Javehn.  Betting : 
f)  and  7  to  4  against  Sir  Harry,  3  to  1  against  Bobtail, 
6  to  1  against  Admiral  Nelson,  8  to  1  against  Youns; 
Spe?r,  100  to  3  against  Telegraph.  'Ihe  vahie  of  the 
subscrpt'o  IS  was  represented  by  a  sum  of  1,175 
guineas. 

F.  Buckle  was  again  the  fortunate  jockey  who  won 
the  Oaks  of  1798,  on  Mr.  Durrand's  b.  Bellissima,  by 
Phenomenon  out  of  AVren,  by  Woodpecker,  Sir  F. 
Poole's  ch.  Duchess  of  Limbs,  by  Pot-8-os,  being  second. 
Lady  Bull,  by  John  Bull  out  of  Isabella,  nominated 
by  Lord  Grosve...or,  came  in  third. 

The   Derby   of  this   year   was   run   on   Thursday, 

May  9th,  and  was  won  by  Archduke,  who  beat  Eagle, 

j^gg        belonging  to  the  same  owner,  and  which 

Archduke,  started  first  favourite,  and  the  other  nine 
colts  (the  field  numbered  eleven,  there  being  thirty- 


A  CHRONICLE  OF  THE  DERBY.  257 

three  horses  nominated)  wiiich  opposed  hhn.     Four 
were  placed  by  the  judge  : 

Sir  F.  Standish's  br.  c.  Archduke,  by  Sir  Peter  out  of  Horatia  1 
Lord  Egreniont's  b.  c.  Gislebert,  by  Precipitate      -         -         -  2 
Sir  F.  Standish's  b.  c.  Fagle,  brother  to  Si>read  Eagle     -         -  3 
Mr.   R.   Heithcote's  b.  c.  Vivaldi,  by  V/oodpecker,  dam   by 
Mercury-         -         -         -         -         -         -         -         --4 

Also  ran  :  Mr.  Cookson's  b.  c.  Expectation,  by  Sir 
Peter  out  of  Ziha  ;  Mr.  Wilson's  b.  c.  Kite,  by  Buzzard 
out  of  Calash  ;  Duke  of  Grafton's  ch.  c.  Vandal,  by 
Skyscraper;  Lord  Grosvcnor's  ch.  c.  Canterbury,  by 
Pot-8-03  out  of  Shipton's  Sister;  Mr.  Waller's  ch.  c. 
by  Satellite  out  of  Isabella,  by  Shark  ;  Mr.  Phillips' 
ch.  c.  Dart,  by  Spear,  dam  by  Conductor ;  Mr.  Lake's 
b.  c.  Gouty,  by  Sir  Peter  out  of  the  Yellow  Mare. 
Letting :  Evens  on  Eagle,  7  to  2  against  Canterbury, 
8  to  1  ajjfainst  Vivaldi,  10  to  1  ajzainst  Kite,  12  to  1  against 
Archduke,  17  to  1  against  Gislebert.  The  amount  raced 
for  this  year  was  1,100  guineas,  and  the  jockey  who  had 
the  mount  on  Archduke  was  J.  Arnull  Archduke  was 
the  third  and  last  winner  of  the  Derby  owned  by  Sir  E. 
Standish,  who  had  the  further  good  fortune  of  twice 
being  hailed  as  winner  of  the  Oaks ;  namel}^,  in 
1786,  with  Perdita  tilly,  and  again  in  1790,  with 
Parasote. 

On  Friday,  May  10th,  1799,  the  Oaks  was  won  by 
Lord  Grosvenor's  Bellina  (F.  Buckle  having  again  the 
good  fortune  to  ride  the  winner),  who  was  followed  to 
the  winning-post  by  Lady  Jane,  St.  Ann,  and  Polly 
P>aker.  There  were  twenty-four  nominations,  and  as 
has  been  shown,  twenty  of  the  fillies  did  not  run.  The 
following  was  the  betting  on  the  race :  11  to  8  against 

17 


258  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

St.  Ann,  11  to  4  against  Bellina,  4  to  1  against  Lady 
Jane. 

The  f(,>llowi!!c:  were  the  first  three  horses  in  the 
;^gf^        Derby    of    1800,    for    which    there    were 
Champion,  thirty  -  three      subscribers     and     thirteen 
runners  : 

Mr.  Wilson's  b.  c.  Champion,  by  Pot-S-os  out  of  Huncamunca  1 
Lord  Egremout's  cb.  o.  Tag,  by  Precipitate  out  of  Ta?  -  2 

Lord  Egremont'sch.  c.  Mystery,  by  Woodpecker  out  of  Platina  3 

The  other  ten  starters  were  :  Lord  Grosvenor's  b.  c. 
Quick  ;  Lord  Donegal's  br.  c.  Fortitude  ;  Sir  H.  T. 
Vane's  br.  c.  Glenarm  ;  Mr.  Ladbroke's  ch.  c.  Lazarus ; 
Duke  of  Grafton's  b.  c.  Chuckle ;  Mr.  Heming's  ch.  c. 
Sir  Sidney  ;  Mr.  Wilson's  b.  c.  Surpri.se  ;  Mr.  Watson's 
b.  c.  Triumvir;  Mr.  White's  ch.  c.  Statesman  (aft  r- 
wards  named  Sncripant)  ;  Mr.  Panurwell's  ch.  c.  by 
Eockingham.  The  winning  horse  was  ridden  by  Clift ; 
and  ridden  by  Buckle,  Champion  also  won  the  St. 
Leger,  for  which  a  field  of  ten  runners  came  to  the 
post.  For  the  Derby  the  winner  was  favourite  at 
13  to  8,  7  to  2  was  the  starting  price  of  Tag,  11  to  2 
was  quoted  against  Lazarus,  10  to  1  against  Glenarm, 
and  '  high  odds  against  any  other.'  The  value  of  the 
stakes  amounted  to  1,150  guineas. 

Lord  Egremont,  who  ran  two  of  his  horses  for  the 
Derby,  was  this  year  compensated  for  his  want  of 
success  in  that  race  by  a  victory  in  the  Oaks,  his  filly 
Ephemera,  afterwards  known  as  Rushlight,  having 
beaten  the  seven  competitors  Avhicb.  tried  for  honours 
ixi  the  ladies'  race.  The  wmner  was  ridden  by  Fitz- 
patrick. 


A  CHROXICLE  OF  THE  DERBY.  259 

The  Derby  of  this  year  will  al\va3'S  be  memorable  on 

account  of  the  winner  having  also  won  the  Oaks — the 

jgQj        first  time  of  the  double  event  being  ac- 

Eieaiior.  complished.  Fillies  this  year,  it  may  be 
stated,  carried  only  7  st.  12  lb.  Sir  Charles  Bunbury, 
the  owner  of  Diomed,  winner  cf  the  first  Derby,  was 
also  the  fortunate  possessor  of  Eleanor,  who  took  the 
double  event.  There  were  thirty-one  subscrii)tions 
taken  out  for  Eleanor's  Darby,  and  of  the  horses  en- 
tered eleven  came  to  the  post,  all  of  which  wore 
apparently  placed  by  the  judge. 

Sir  C.  Bunbury's  filly  Eleanor,   by  "Whiskey  out  of  Youn^ 

Giantess  -..-.-..-1 

Mr.  Wyndham's  br.  c,  by  Fidget  out  of  Cselia       -         -         -  2 
Duke  of  Grafton's  ch.  f.  Remnant,  by  Truuipator  -         -  .3 

The  other  runners  were  Mr.  Watson's  b.  c.  Gaoler; 
Lord  Grosvenor's  ch.  c.  Matthew,  afterwards  Columbus; 
Sir  W.  Gerard's  b.  c,  Bellisle,  afterwards  Cheshire 
Cheese ;  Lord  Derby's  gr.  c.  by  Sir  Peter  out  of 
Bab  ;  Lord  Clermont's  b.  c.  Brother  to  Young  Spear ; 
Lord  Donegal's  b.  c.  Curb  ;  Mr.  Heming's  ch.  c.  Pugilist ; 
Mr.  Hoomes'  ch.  c.  Horns.  The  betting  was  as  follows  : 
11  to  8  against  Eleanor,  7  to  2  against  Gaoler,  6  to  1 
against  Remnant,  10  to  1  against  Brother  to  Young 
Spear,  and  12  to  1  against  Bellisle.  Value  of  the 
stakes,  1,050  guineas. 

Saunders  rode  the  mare  in  both  races.  The  field  in 
the  Oaks  embraced  six  runners,  including  the  winner 
Eleanor,  Lord  Grosvenor's  Tulip  being  second,  and 
Lord  Egremont's  Crazy  Poetess  third. 

We  begin  now  to  find  occasional  notes  given  by  the 

17—2 


26o  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

turf  writers  of  '  those  days/  as  to  '  how  the  Derby  was 
ISO-'  won  ' — in  other  words,  descriptions  of  the 
Tyi-aut.  race  have  been  written  and  are  extant;  in 
the  present  instance,  however,  the  description  is  very 
brief,  although  the  verdict  is  emphatic  enough,  con- 
sisting only  of  two  words  :  these  are  '  won  easy.'  The 
whole  of  the  starters,  nine  in  all,  seem  to  have  been 
placed  by  the  judge.     The  first  three  were  : 

Duke  of  Grafton's  b.  c.  Tyrant,  by  Pot-8-os  out  of  Seafowl  -  1 
Mr.  Wilson's  b.  c.  Young  Eclipse,  by  Young  Eclipse  out  of 

Tekeli's  dam,  by  Higliflyer 2 

Sir-Charles  Bunbury's  b.  c.  Orlando,  by  "Whiskey  out  of  Amelia  3 

There  also  ran:  Mr.  Whaley's  Gulliver,  Sir  F. 
Standish's  Duxbury,  Lord  Clermont's  Piscator,  Sir  F. 
Standish's  Master  Eagle,  Lord  Grosvenor's  ch.  filly 
Margery,  Lord  Cameford's  Omnium.  There  were 
thirty  subscribers  in  Tyrant's  year,  and  the  winner 
was  again  the  mount  of  Buckle.  Young  Eclipse 
started  favourite  at  11  to  8  against ;  the  price  of  Pisca- 
tor was  4  to  1,  Orlando  10  to  1,  '  and  very  high  odds 
against  any  other.'  Tyrant's  price  at  the  post  was  7 
to  1.     The  stakes  amounted  to  976  guineas. 

On  the  Oaks  of  1802,  which  was  won  by  Mr. 
VVastell's  Sophia,  it  is  recorded  that  '  there  was  more 
betting  on  this  race  than  the  Derby,'  and  it  is  described 
as  having  been  a  '  very  good  race  amongst  the  first 
three,'  Buckle,  the  great  jockey  of  that  day,  also  rode 
the  winner  of  the  Oaks. 

Out  of  the  thirty-five  horses  entered  for  this  year's 
jgQ3        Derby    (value  of  the  stakes,  885  guineas) 
Ditto.      only  gjx  came  to  the  post,  of  which   the 
following  is  a  complete  list,  Clift  riding  the  winner. 


A  CHRONICLE  OF  THE  DERBY.  261 

Sir  IT.  Williampon's  b.  c.  Ditto,  brother   to  Walton,   by   Sir 
Pfter  out  of  Aretbusa     -         -         -         -         -         -         -1 

Lord  Grey's  b.  c.  Sir  Oliver,  by  Sir  Peter  out  of  Fanny,  by 
Diomed  ----------2 

Sir  F.  Standish's  b.  c.  Brother  to  Stamford,  by  Sir  Peter       -  3 
Ilcn.  G.  Watson's  c.  Dreadnought,  by  Buzzird  out  of  Sister 
to  Doctor  ----------4 

Sir  H.  T.  Vane's  b.  c.  Di-cussion,  by  Patriot  out  of  Co-heiress  5 
Colonel  Kingscote's  ch.  c.  Wheatear,  by  Young  Woodpecker  6 

As  will  doubtless  be  observed,  tlie  first  three  are  all 
by  Sir  Peter.  Brother  to  Stamford  was  made  favourite 
at  7  to  4  ;  the  winner.  Ditto,  started  at  7  to  2.  '  Won 
very  easy,'  which  may  be  termed  a  short  and  sweet 
description  of  the  race.  The  weights  carried  by  Derby 
competitors  were  now  fixed  as  follows  :  colts  8  st.  5  lb., 
fillies  8  St. 

The  Oaks  of  the  same  3'ear,  which  was  won  by  Sir 
T.  Gascoigne's  Theophania,  is  said  to  have  been  '  a 
very  fine  race,  and  won  by  half  a  neck.' 

'  \Yon  very  easy  '  v/as  this  year  again  the  verdict, 

when  Hannibal,  the  property  of  Lord  Egremont,  on 

jgQ4        Thursday,   May  17  th,    and  ridden    by  W. 

HaunibaL  Arnold,  was  declared  the  victor,  beating 
seven  competitors,  all  that  came  to  the  post  of  the  thirty- 
three  subscribers.    The  following  were  the  first  three : 

Lord  Eprremont's  b.  c.  Hannibal,  by  Driver  out  of   Fractious, 

by  Mercury     ---.....-1 
Mr.  Wilson's  b.  c.  Pavilion,  by  Waxy  out  of  Totterella  ■  2 

Mr.  Dawsion's  b.  c.  Hippocampus,  by  Coriander  out  of  Miss 
Green      --.--.-.-.3 

The  other  five  competitors  wore  Lord  Darlington's 
ch.  c.  Zodiac,  Mr.  Lake's  b.  c.  Lyncous,  Sir  F.  Poole's  b  c. 
Sir  Walter  Pialoigb,  Mr.  Warrington's  two  colts,  one 


262  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

being  "Woodcot,  by  Guilford,  the  other  being  un- 
named, but  also  by  Guilford,  dam  by  Highflyer  out 
of  Eyebright.  The  names  of  the  jockeys  wbo  had  the 
mounts  on  the  second  and  third  horses  respectively 
(W.  Clift  and  D.  Fitzpatrick)  are  this  year  given  in  the 
records  of  the  race.  The  starting  prices  were  as 
follows  :  100  to  43  against  Pavilion,  5  to  2  and  3  to  1 
against  Hannibal,  7  to  2  and  3  to  1  against  Zodiac, 
9  to  2  against  Hippocampus;  'much  betting  between 
Hannibal  and  Zodiac'     Value  of  the  stakes,  £1,025. 

The  winner  of  this  year's  Oaks  was  the  Duke  of 
Grafton's  br.  f.  Pelisse,  which,  ridden  by  W.  Clift, '  won 
easy.' 

The  race  was  in  1805  contested  by  the  excellent 
field  of  fifteen  runners,  the  number  of  subscribers 
being  set  down  as  thirty-nine.  The  winner  proved 
to  be  Lord  Egremont's  b.  c.  Cardinal 
CarJiuai  Beau-  Beaufort,  by  Golianua  out  of  Colibri, 
°^  ■  ridden  by  I).  Fitzpatrick  ;  Lord  Grosvenor 
supplied  the  second  and  third  horses — Plantagenet,  by 
John  Bull,  and  Goth,  by  Sir  Peter.  Mr.  Bigg's  Bas- 
sanio  was  placed  fourth,  Lord  Foley's  Little  Peter 
being  fifth.  The  other  ten  horses  which  took  part  in 
the  Derby  of  1805  Avere  Lord  Egremont's  Impostor, 
General  Gower's  Swinley,  the  Prince  of  Wales'  Bar- 
barossa,  Mr.  Wilson's  Newmarket,  Mr.  Howorth's 
Honesty,  Mr.  Glover's  Sigismunda ;  Mr.  Jones's  Free- 
dom and  Junius,  Mr.  Harris's  Farmer,  and  Mr.  Best's 
colt  by  Dungannon  out  of  Flirtilla.  The  Cardinal 
started  at  20  to  1,  Impostor  and  Plantagenet  being 
equal  favourites   at  2  to  1.     There  was,  we  are  told, 


A  CHRONICLE  OF  THE  DERB  V.  263 

mucli  betting  on  the  race,  which  was  won  by  a  neck, 
Fitzpatrick  being  the  successful  jockey.  Mr.  Best's 
colt,  Dungannon,  Avas  tlirown  down  b}'  some  horsemen 
imprudently  crossing  the  course  before  all  the  race- 
horses had  passed,  his  rider,  B.  Norton,  being  much 
bruised  b}'  the  fall.  The  value  of  the  stakes,  1,250 
guineas. 

Lord  Grosvenor,  who  ran  second  and  third  for  the 
Derby,  won  the  Oaks  by  the  aid  of  Mcteora,  Avho  was 
steered  to  victory  by  Buckle,  the  field  numbering  eight 
fillies  ;  the  Duke  of  Grafton  being  second  with  Dodona, 
Sir  F.  Standish's  Sister  to  Duxbury,  by  Sir  Peter, 
being  third. 

The  field  for  each  of  the  great  Epsom  races  this 
year  numbered  twelve,  there  being  thirty-nine  entries 
for  the  Derby  and  twenty-seven  for  the  Oaks.  The 
1806,  successful  jockeys  were,  respectively,  J. 
Pans.  Shepherd  in  the  Derby  and  W.  Edwards  in 
the  Oaks.  The  stakes  for  the  Derby  amounted  this 
year  to  1,275  guineas.  The  following  three  horses  ran 
first,  second,  and  third  respectively : 

Lord  Foley's  br.  c.  Paris  brother  to  Archdakn.,  by  Sir  Peter-  1 
Lord  Egremont's  b.  c.  Trafalgar  (afterwards  Harpocrates)  -  2 
IMaigravine  of  Anspach's  gr.  c.  Hector  -         -         -         -         -  3 

The  remainder  of  the  field  comprised  Mr.  Wilson's 
b.  c.  Smuggler,  Duke  of  Grafton's  b.  c.  Podagrus,  Lord 
Egremont's  b.  c.  Hedley,  Mr.  Dixon  Boyce's  ch.  c. 
Achilles,  Sir  J.  Shelly's  br.  c.  Clasher,  Mr.  Mellish's 
b.  c.  Luck's  All,  Sir  F.  Stan  dish's  ch.  f  by  Mr.  Teazle, 
Mr.  Batson's  b.  c.  Rupture,  Mr.  J.  Croft's  Ploughboy. 


264  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

The  betting  at  start  was  5  to  1  against  Paris,  Sir 
Frank  Stanrlish's  fillv  beinof  favourite  at  4  to  1. 
Against  Trafalgar  C  to  1  was  laid,  whilst  Hector's  price 
was  25  to  1.  The  following  is  a  description  of  the 
race :  '  At  half-past  one  they  started,  and  went  at  a 
good  speed  to  Tattenham  Corner,  on  turning  which  it 
was  observed  that  Shepherd,  who  rode  Paris,  rather 
pulled,  wdiilst  Trafalgar  was  making  play ;  notwith- 
standing Lord  Egremont  was  backed  to  win.  Upon 
coming  to  the  distance-post,  Trafalgar  and  Paris  ran 
neck  and  neck,  in  which  situation  they  continued  till 
within  a  few  yards  of  the  winning-post,  when  Shep- 
herd made  a  desperate  push  and  won  the  race  by 
about  half  a  head.' 

The  Oaks  of  the  year  was  '  won  easy '  by  Mr. 
B.  Craven's  br.  Bronze,  sister  to  Castrel,  who  beat  Lord 
Egremont's  Jerboa  and  eleven  others.  The. value  of 
the  Derby  Stakes  this  year  was  1,275  guineas. 

For  the  race  of  1807  there  were  thirty-eight  nomina- 
tions, and  thirteen  horses  faced  the  starter  on  the 
1807        ^'^y  fixed  for  the  race,  which  was  Thurs- 

Eiection.  day,  May  14th.  It  was  described  by  the 
chroniclers  of  the  period  as  '  a  very  tine  race.^  Giles 
Scroggins  took  the  lead,  and  kept  it  till  he  was  passed 
by  Coriolanus  at  the  distance-post,  who  in  turn  was 
headed  by  Election,  who  in  the  end  won  by  a  length. 
The  winner  was  the  property  of  ]  ord  Egremont,  and 
was  by  Gohanna  out  of  Chesnut  Skein.  The  jockey 
who  rode  Election  was  J.  Arnold,  sen.  ;  Mr.  Wilsons 
Giles  Scroggins  (afterwards  Master  Goodall),  ridden  by 
\V.  Clift,  was  placed  second ;  the  third  horse,  Corio- 


A  CHRONICLE  OF  THE  DERBY.  265 

lanns,  ridden  by  W.  Wheatl}^  Wi\s  also  by  Gohannn. 
The  names  of  the  other  competing  animals  were 
Corsican,  Piosario,  Pioneer  and  Musician  (both  entered 
by  the  Duke  of  Grafton),  IMungo  and  Lewis  (both  the 
property  of  the  Prince  of  Wales),  Job  Thornberry, 
Chaise  and  One,  a  b.  c.  by  Sir  Peter,  belonging  to  Sir 
F.  Standish,  and  Lord  DailinL;ton,  brother  to  Expec- 
tation, also  by  Sir  Peter.  The  value  of  the  stakes  in 
1807  w^ould  be  1,270  guineas.  In  the  betting  at  the 
start.  Election  started  favourite  at  3  to  1  against ; 
the  betting  against  the  others  was  as  following  :  7  to  2 
Musician,  4  to  1  Job  Thornberry,  9  to  2  Giles  Scrog- 
gins,  10  to  1  Chaise  and  One,  '  and  very  high  odds 
against  the  rest.'  Weights  now  fixed  at,  colts  8  st.  7  lb., 
fillies  8  St.  2  lb. 

Curiously  enough,  the  field  for  the  Oaks  also  num- 
bered thirteen,  there  being  thirty-one  subscribers. 
The  winner  proved  to  be  General  Grosvenor's  Briseis, 
by  Benningborough  out  of  Lady  Jane,  the  rider  being 
S.  Chifney,  and  the  filly  started  with  the  liberal  odds 
of  15  to  1  betted  against  her. 

igQg  The  following  four  horses  were  placed  by 

Pa"-       the  judge  in  this  year's  Derby,  namely : 

Sir  H.  Williams on's  cb.  c.  Pan.  by  St.  George  out  of  ArethiiFa  1 

Duke  of  Grafton's  br.  c.  Vandyke,  by  Sir  Peter  out  of  Dab- 
chick        ..--2 

Lord  Grosvenor's  b,  c.  Chester,  by  Sir  Peter,  dam  by  Wood- 
pecker     ----------3 

Prince  of  Wales'  ch.  c.  Rubens,  brother  to  Castrel,  by  Buzzard  4 

Other  six  animals  ran  in  the  race,  two  of  the  number 
being  Lord  Egremont's  Scorpion  and  Brighton  Lass,  a 
b.  f.  by  Gohanna.     Mr.  Sitv^ell  ran  Clinker,  also  by  Sir 


266  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

Peter.  Tlie  name  of  Lord  Stawell's  horse  was  No 
Conjurer.  Mr.  Ladbroke's  Tristram  also  ran,  as  like- 
wise Mr.  Mellish's  Bradbury.  This  Derby  is  described 
as  having  been  'a  very  gieat  betting  race' — Vandyke 
being  elected  favourite  at  the  start,  at  odds  of  2  to  1 
against  it;  the  Prince  of  Wales'  horse  Ptubens  was 
second  favourite,  at  7  to  2  ;  Pan  started  at  the  re- 
munerative price  of  20  to  1,  and  was  steered  to  victory 
by  F.  CoUinson,  winning  by  half  a  length.  This  year's 
contest  was  allowed  to  be  one  of  the  finest  races  ever 
run  for  the  Derby,  and  Frank  Collinson  rode  in  a 
masterly  Yorkshire  style.  There  were  thirty-eight 
subscriptions  taken  out,  and  ten  horses  appeared  at 
the  starting-post ;  the  value  of  the  sum  contended  for 
was  therefore  1,200  guineas. 

The  Duke  of  Grafton  again  won  the  Oaks,  this  time 
with  Morel,  by  Sorcerer  out  of  Hornby  Lass,  by  Buz- 
zard, VV.  Clift  being  the  successful  jockey.  The  Duke's 
filly  started  favourite,  and  won  by  a  length  and  a  half. 

The  subscriptions  to  the  Derby  begin  now  to  increase, 

there  being  seven  more  this  year  than  last,  namely 

ig09.       forty-five  to  thirty-eight,  the  field  at  the 

Pope.       start  numbering  ten  horses,  six  of  which 

were  placed,  namely : 

Duke  of  Grafton's  b.  c.  Pope,  by  Waxy  out  of  Prunella  -  1 

Mr.  Wilson's  ch.  c.  Wizard,  by  Sorcerer          -         -         -  -  2 

Duke  of  Rutland's  b.  c.  Salvator    -         -         -         -         -  -  B 

Sir  C.  Bunbury's  br.  c.  Fairstar      -         -         -         -         -  -  4 

Mr.  Wyndham's  cb.  c.  Trusty,  by  Wcrtliy      -         -         -  -  5 

Lord  Foley's  br.  c.  Osprey,  by  Eagle       -         -         -         -  -  6 

Also  competed :  Sir  J.  Shelly 's  Robin,  Mr.  Lake's 
Break,  Lord    Lowther's   Blue  Ruin,  Sir  J.  Mawbey's 


A  CHRONICLE  OF  THE  DERBY.  267 

br.  c.  Botleys.  The  race  took  jJace  on  Thursda}-, 
May  18th.  Salvator  began  by  taking  the  lead,  which 
he  kept  till  Tattenhain  Corner  was  turned,  when 
AA'izard  came  up  and  disputed  the  place;  but  within 
a  few  yards  of  the  Avinning-post  Goodison,  who  had 
brought  Pope  with  one  run,  won  the  race  by  a  neck, 
the  general  verdict  being  that  he  rode  his  horse  with 
much  skill  and  judgment.  W,  Clift  rode  Wizard,  the 
second  horse,  which  started  favourite  at  5  to  4  on  it;  the 
starting  price  of  Pope,  the  winner,  was  20  to  1 ;  a^i^ainst 
the  third,  horse  9  to  1  was  betted  at  the  start.  The 
value  of  the  stakes  would  be  1,375  guineas.  In  this 
year  was  run  the  fiist  race  for  the  Two  Thousand 
Guineas  Stakes,  a  race  which  was  destined  to  have 
much  influence  on  the  incidence  of  the  Derby.  The 
first  winner  of  the  Guineas,  it  may  be  noted,  was 
Wizard,  which,  as  has  been  told,  ran  second  for  the 
*  Blue  Ribbon.' 

There  were  thirty-three  subscribers  to  the  Oaks, 
from  which  there  came  to  the  starting-post  a  field  of 
eleven,  victory  falling  to  General  Gower's  Maid  of 
Orleans,  ridden  by  B.  Moss,  and  starting  with  odds  of 
15  to  1  against. 

On  June  7th  the  Duke  of  Grafton  Avas  so  fortunate 
as  to  win  the  Derby  again,  it  being  his  third  victory  ; 
1810.  t,he  winning  horse  was  by  Waxy,  the  Derby 
Whalebone,  yictor  of  1793,  and,  as  in  the  preceding 
year,  there  Avere  forty-five  subscribers,  eleven  of  which 
came  to  the  post,  among  the  lot  being  Hcphestion, 
the  Avinner  of  the  Two  Thousand  Guineas.  The 
three  horses  placed  Avcre : 


268  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

TLe   Duke  of  Grafton's  b.   c.  Whalebone,  by  Waxy  out  of 

Penelope  -.-...---1 

Lord  Kinnaird  s  ch.  c.  The  Dandy,  by  Gohanna  out  of  Active  2 
Lord  G.  H.  CavendL-h  s  b.  c.  Eocleston,  by  Csesarioout  of  Nike  3 

Also  ran  tho  following:  Lord  Grosvenor's  Hephes- 
tion,  Duke  of  Grafton's  Pledge,  Mr.  Lake's  Breslau, 
General  Gower's  Abdiel,  Lord  Egremont's  Interloper, 
Major  Wilson's  Erebus,  Mr.  Howartli's  Revoke,  and 
Mr.  Thompson's  br.  c.  O.P.  Whalebone,  ridden  by 
W.  Clift,  and  starting  favourite,  '  took  the  lead,  was 
never  headed,  and  won  easy.'  The  value  of  the  stakes 
may  be  set  down  at  1,300  guineas.  By  this  time  the 
Derby  had  begun  to  attract  public  attention,  and  the 
horses  running  and  those  who  owned  them  came  in 
for  a  good  deal  of  criticism,  and  so  did  the  jockeys. 

Eleven  also  came  to  the  starting-post  for  the  Oaks, 
the  winner  being  Oriana,  by  Cenningborough  out  of 
Mary  Anne,  by  Sir  Peter.  She  was  the  mount  of  W. 
Pierse,  and  started  second  favourite,  with  odds  of  7  to 
2  betted  against  her.  Pirouette,  who  ran  second,  was 
favourite. 

The  race,  for  which  there  were  forty-eight  subscri- 
bers, was  run  this  year  on  May  30th,  and,  with  Buckle 
1811        in  the  saddle,  was  won  by  Sir  John  ShelJy's 

Phantom.  ^qJ^^  ^^j^q  \iQ,isX  fifteen  o{)ponents,  gaining 
a  victory  over  the  second  horse  within  the  very  last 
stride  of  the  winning-post.  Only  two  of  the  horses 
seem  in  1811  to  have  been  placed  by  the  judge ;  they 
were  : 

Sir  John  Shelly's  b.  c.  Phantom,   by  Walton  out  of  Julia, 

sister  to  Eleanor      -.----..1 
Mr.  Astley's  ch.  c.  Magic,  by  Sorcerer  out  of  Elve's  dam         -  2 


A  CHRONICLE  OF  THE  DERBY.  269 

The  other  runners  were  :  Trophonius,  winner  of  the 
Two  Thousand  Guineas,  Hit  or  Miss,  Mountebank, 
Wellington,  Merry  Go  Round,  Rival,  Timour,  Nismus, 
Joker,  Prince  Regent,  b.  c.  by  Sir  Solomon  out  of  Tot- 
torella,  b.  c.  by  Sorcerer  out  of  Sister  to  Oatlands, 
Beresford  and  Rapid.  Tlie  Duke  of  Rutland,  Sir  F. 
Standish  (2),  Sir  Charles  Bunbury,  Lord  Darlington  (2), 
and  Mr.  Payne  all  had  runners  in  the  race.  Tro- 
phonius, with  3  to  1  betted  against  it,  was  favourite  at 
the  start,  5  to  1  being  offered  against  the  winner. 
Buckle,  who  had  the  mount  on  Phantom,  rode,  we  are 
told,  in  his  usual  excellent  manner.  The  value  of  the 
stakes  for  this  year's  Derby  must  have  been  ],G00 
guineas,  the  second  horse,  as  for  some  time  had  been 
the  practice,  receiving  100  guineas  out  of  the  stakes. 

Lord  Derby,  Lord  Grosvenor,  General  Gower,  Sir  F. 
Standish,  Sir  J.  Shelly,  and  other  gentlemen,  ran  their 
fillies  in  the  Oaks  of  1811;  but  it  was  the  Duke  of 
Rutland  who  supplied  the  winner,  Sorcery,  ridden  by 
S.  Ch!fne3\  There  were  forty  animals  nominated, 
twelve  of  which  ran  in  the  race,  the  Duke's  lilly,  which 
was  favourite  in  the  betting,  winning  cleverly. 

With  one  subscriber  less   than   in   the  preceding 
1812        year,  fourteen  starters  came  to  the  post  for 
Octavius.    the  Derby  of   1812.     The   placed    horses 
were : 

Mr.  Ladbroke's  b.  c.  Octavius,  by  Orville  out  of  Marianne, 

by  Mufti 1 

Lord  Egiemont's  b.  c.  Sweep,  by  Gohanna  out  of  Amazon     -  2 
Sir  J.  Shelly's  ch.  c.  Conius,  by  Sorcerer  out  of  Houghton  Lass  3 

The  following  is  a  description  of  the  race  :  Wisdom 


270  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

took  the  lead  to  Tattenham  Corner,  after  which 
Octavius,  Sweep,  and  Coinus  came  up  and  made  a 
severe  race  to  the  distance-post,  when  the  two  first 
singled  themselves  out  and  contested  a  tremendous 
and  severe  race  to  the  ending-post,  where  Octavius 
won  by  half  a  neck,  Coinus  being  beat  about  a  length. 
Arnold  had  the  winning  mount.  Wisdom  was  the 
property  of  Mr.  Wilson,  and  was  ridden  by  Clift.  Mr. 
Mellish  had  tvv^o  of  his  in  the  race — Flash,  by  Sir 
Oliver,  and  Bodkin,  by  Trumpeter  ;  the  Duke  of  Rut- 
land, General  Gowcr,  Lord  Lowther  and  Sir  F. 
Standish  also  ran  their  colts  in  the  race,  Comus  was 
favourite  in  the  betting  ;  the  price,  against  Octavius  at 
the  start  was  7  to  1.  The  stakes  amounted  to  1,525 
guineas. 

Mr.  Hewett's  b.  Manuella,  ridden  by  W.  Pierse,  won 
the  Oaks  by  three  quarters  of  a  length  from  the  Duke 
of  Rutland's  Elizabeth,  on  whom  S.  Chifney  had  the 
mount. 

In  1813  lucky  Sir  Charles  Bunbury  won  his  third 
Derby,  by  the  aid  of  Smolensko,  which  had  previously 
1813.  credited  him  with  the  Two  Thousand 
Suioieusko.  Guineas,  and  as  there  were  fifty-one  sub- 
scribers, and  twelve  of  their  hort^^es  started  for  the 
race,  the  value  of  the  stakes  must  this  year  have  been 
1,575  guireas.  The  names  and  breeding  of  the  first 
three  horses  were  as  folloAvs : 

Sir  C.  Bunbury 's  bl.  c.  Smoleusko,  brother  to  Thunderbolt, 
by  Sorcerer      -------.-1 

Lord  Jersey's  br.  c.  Caterpillar,  by  Haphazard  out  of  Coar.se 
Mary 2 

Mr.  Glover's  b.  c.  Illusion,  by  Haphazard  out  of  Miss  Holt   -  3 


A  CHRONICLE  OF  THE  DERBY.  271 

The  Duke  of  Paitland  ran  two  of  his,  namely,  Soli- 
man  and  Rastopchin  ;  Mr.  Lake  also  ran  t.wo,  Eurus 
and  Aladdin ;  Lords  Suffield,  Derb}^,  Darlington 
and  Grosvenor  also  supplied  runners.  The  placed 
jockeys  were  respectively  T.  Goodison,  F.  Buckle  and 
W.  Wheatly.  Smolensko,  at  evens,  started  favourite, 
7  to  1  against  Caterpillar.  Buckle  made  play  at  once, 
and  kept  the  lead  till  within  a  few  lengths  of  the  win- 
ning-post, when  Smolensko,  forging  to  the  front,  got 
home  with  about  half  a  length  to  the  front. 

Music  credited  the  Duke  of  Grafton  with  his  third 
Oaks,  Goodison  being,  as  in  the  Derby,  the  successful 
jockey. 

Of  the  fifty-one  horses  entered  for  this  j^ear's  race, 

fourteen  came  to  the  starting-post  on  the  26th  of  May 

1814        — ^  Thursday — and  victory  fell  to  the  share 

Biucher.  of  Lord  StawcU  by  the  aid  of  his  b.  c. 
Blucher,  which  was  ridden  by  W,  ArnoLl.  The  winner 
was  by  Waxy  (who  in  1793  credited  Sir  F,  Poole  with 
the  Derby  of  that  year)  out  of  Pantiiia,  by  Buzzard, 
grand-dam  by  Treutham  out  of  Cytherea.  The  only 
other  horse  which  appears  to  have  been  placed  was 
Mr.  Prince's  ch.  c.  Perchance,  by  Haphazard  out  of 
Miss  Holt,  by  Buzzard,  on  which  Clift  had  the  mount. 
Other  two  Waxy  colts  took  part  in  the  Derby  of  the 
year;  namely,  the  Duke  of  Rutland's  Kutusoff'  and 
the  Duke  of  Grafton's  Jeweller.  Lord  Egremont  and 
Lord  F.  Bentinck  also  supplied  competitors,  whilst 
Mr.  Lake  ran  two  of  his  colts.  Blucher  was  favourite 
at  the  start  at  5  to  2  and  3  to  1.  During  the  runnino- 
of  the  race  it  looked  as  if  Perchance  could  not  possibly 


272  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

be  beaten,  and  it  was  at  the  last  moment  that  Blnchor 
headed  Mr.  Prince's  colt  and  was  awarded  the  victory. 
The  race  now  began  to  be  of  considerable  account,  the 
value  of  the  stakes  this  year  being  1,625  guineas, 
100  guineas  being  paid  to  the  owner  of  the  second 
horse. 

The  Oaks  was  won  by  the  Duke  of  Eutland's 
ch.  f.  Medora,  by  Sclim,  dam  by  Sir  Harry,  the  rider 
being  S.  Barnard.  There  were  forty-four  entries,  and 
of  the  nine  fillies  which  faced  the  starter,  the  Duke  of 
Grafton  supplied  the  second  and  third  in  Vestal,  by 
Walton  out  of  Dabchick,  and  Yv^ire,  a  sister  to  Whale- 
bone, by  Wax}",  which,  with  Goodison  on  her  back, 
started  favourite  at  about  5  to  2. 

The  Oaks  was  run  on  the  Fridays.  The  fillies'  race 
for  the  One  Thousand  Guineas  was  instituted  this 
year,  and  was  destined  to  have  considerable  influence 
on  the  contest  for  the  Oaks  in  the  same  way  as  the 
Two  Thousand  has  a  bearing  on  t!ie  Derby, 

The  number  of  horses  nominated  was  again  fifty- 
.        one,    thirteen     of    which    came     to     the 

Whisker,  startiug-post,  General  Gower's  Raphael 
being  made  favourite.  Only  two  of  the  competitors 
were  distinguished  by  the  notice  of  the  judge;  these 
were  : 

The  Duke  of  Grafton's  b.  c.  Whisker,  by  "Waxy  out  of  Penelope  1 
General  Gowei's  b,  c.  Raphael,  by  Rubens  out  of  Iris    -         -  2 

These  colts  were  respectively  ridden  by  T.  Goodison 
and  John  Jackson.  General  Gower  supplied  another 
runner  in  his  br.  c.  Busto,  by  Clinker.     Lord  Foley, 


A  CHRONICLE  OF  THE  DERBY.  273 

liOrd  Rous,  and  Mr.  Payne  also  had  colts  in  the  race ; 
Mr.  Lake  had  two  competitors  running ;  Mr.  Stone- 
hewer,  Mr.  Wyndham,  Mr.  Andrews,  Mr.  S.  Buncombe, 
and  Sir  B.  R.  GraJiam's  colts  helped  to  swell  the  field. 
The  story  of  the  race  is  easy  to  tell.  Busto  started 
well,  and  made  severe  pla}'',  keeping  the  lead  from 
Tattenham  Corner  to  within  two  hundred  3'ards  of 
the  ending-post,  when  Raphael  passed  him,  but  in 
the  last  two  or  three  strides  Whisker  came  up  and 
won  by  about  half  a  head.  'Busto,  although  not 
placed,  was  not  beat  for  second  place  by  more  than  a 
neck,  so  that  General  Gowcr's  horses  ran  second  and 
third,'  the  best  race  ever  remembered  to  have  been 
run  by  the  first  three  for  the  Dcrb^y,  the  others  being 
beat  a  long  way.  Busto  was  ridden  by  W.  Pierse, 
and  was  sold  to  Mr.  Blake  for  a  very  large  sum. 
Jackson,  in  consequence  of  the  crowd  at  the  winning- 
post  pressing  on  his  horse,  was  thrown,  but  was  not 
much  hurt.  The  betting  at  the  start  was  3  to  1  and 
7  to  2  against  Raphael,  and  8  to  1  against  Whisker ; 
Mr.  Wyndham's  Frolic  was  second  favourite  at  7  to  2 
against.     Value  of  the  stakes,  1,600  guineas. 

The  Duke  of  Grafton  was  also  fortunate  enough  to 
win  the  Oaks  with  Minuet,  by  Waxy  out  of  Woodbine, 
Goodison  being  the  rider ;  the  same  nobleman  also 
ran  Discord.  The  winner  of  the  One  Thousand,  Lord 
Foley's  br.  f.  by  Selim,  started  second  favourite,  but 
liaving  fallen  opposite  the  distance- post  and  dislocated 
her  shoulder,  it  was  found  necessary  to  destroy  her  on 
the  course. 

At  this  Derby,  run  on  May  30th,  we  are  told  '  tho 

IS 


274  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

number  of  people  present  was  greater  than  ever  before 
jgjg  remembered.'     Eleven   of    the    fifty-one 

Prince  Leopold,  horses  nominated  came  to  the  post,  the 
placings  by  the  judge  being  as  follows  : 

Duke  of  York's  br.  c.  Prince  Leopold,  by  Hedley  out  of 
(Jramarie-         .-.-...--1 

Lord  (t.  H.  Cavendish's  br.  c.  Nectar,  by  Walton  out  of 
li'Huile  de  Venus      -         -         -         -         -         -         -         -2 

Lord  Stawell's  ch.  c.  Pandour,  by  Walton  out  of  Pon+ina       -  3 

The  respective  jockeys  of  the  first  three  were  W, 
Wheatly,  F.  Buckle,  and  W.  Arnold.  The  Duke 
of  Grafton  and  Lord  Foley  each  started  a  colt;  Mr. 
Blake  ran  two  of  his  horses ;  Mr.  Wyndham,  Mr. 
Terrett,  Mr.  S.  Duncombe,  and  ]\Ir.  T.  Scaith  also 
supplied  competitors  to  the  field.  At  the  start 
100  to  GO  was  laid  against  Nectar,  who,  being  winner 
of  the  Two  Thousand,  had  been  made  favourite,  and 
ran  well  in  a  hotly-contcstcd  race,  which  was  in  the 
end  Avon  by  Prince  Leopold  by  half  a  length.  The 
Duke  of  York  hacked  his  horse  freely,  and  landed  a 
few  thousands  by  his  victory.  The  value  of  the  stakes 
would  be  in  all  1,575  guineas. 

The  Oaks,  run  on  Friday,  May  31st,  was  also  con- 
tested by  a  field  of  eleven  runners,  General  Gower's 
Landscape,  ridden  by  S.  Chifney,  being  placed  first  by 
the  judge.  Lord  Foley  running  second  with  Duenna. 
The  winner  started  favourite  with  odds  of  2  to  1  oflered 
against  her.  Forty-eight  subscriptions  were  taken 
out  to  this  year's  Oaks.  Bhoda,  the  property  of  the 
Duke  of  Rutland,  and  winner  of  the  One  Thousand, 
ran  unplaced 

Fifty-six  horses  were  entered  for  the  great  race  of 


A  CHRONICLE  OF  THE  DERBY.  275 

1817,  wliich  was  contested  on  May  22nd  by  a  field  of 
jg^y  thirteen  horses,  only  two  of  the  number, 
Azor.       however,    being     placed     by    the    judge. 

These  were  : 

Mr.  Payne's  ch.  c.  Azor,  by  Selim  out  of  Zoraida,  by  Don 
Quixote  ----------1 

Mr.  Wilson's  ch.  c.  Young  Wizard,  by  Wizard,  dam  by  Sir  Peter  2 

J.  Robinson  had  the  mount  on  Azor,  who  beat 
Young  Wizard  by  half  a  length.  The  Student  started 
favourite  with  7  to  4  against  him ;  Azor  started  at 
50  to  1.  The  Student  was  nominated  by  Mr.  Udny. 
Mr.  Lake  had  three  horses  in  the  race;  the  Duke 
of  Rutland,  Lord  Darlington,  and  Lord  Stawell 
supplied  each  a  colt,  as  did  also  Mr.  Hallett,  Mr. 
Stephenson,  and  AI  r.Yansittart.  The  race  Avas  somewhat 
remarkable  for  the  easy  way  in  which  the  favourite 
was  beat.     Value  of  the  stakes,  1,725  guineas. 

Mr.  Watson's  Neva  started  first  favourite  for  the 
Oaks  at  evens,  and  won  '  easy,'  beating  ten  opponents, 
F.  Buckle  being  the  successful  horseman.  Neva  had 
previously  won  the  race  for  the  One  Thousand  Guineas, 
beating  nine  opponents. 

Sir  J.  Shelly 's  Prince  Paul  was  made  favourite  for 

the  thirty-ninth  Derby,  run  on  May  2Sth,   but  the 

jgjg        race   fell    to   the   second   favourite.      The 

Sam.       following  are  the  three  named  by  the  judge 

as  being  first,  second,  and  third  respectively : 

Mr.  TbornhiU's  ch.  c.  Sam,  by  Scud  out  of  Hyale  -         •         -  1 

Lord    Darlington's   gr.    c.    R  iby,    by   Sorcerer  out  of   Grey 
Midflleham's  darn    -         -         -         -         -         -         -         -2 

Sir  J.  Shelly's  b.  c.  Priuce  Paul,  brother  to  Crec}'-         -         -  3 

]8— 2 


2/6  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

S.  Chifney  was  on  Sam,  whilst  W.  Pierse  ro^e  Haby, 
Edwards  having  the  guidance  of  Prince  Paul.  Other 
noblemen  and  gentlemen  who  ran  horses  were  the 
Dukes  of  Grafton  and  Rutland,  Lord  Stawell,  Mr. 
Payne,  Mr.  Blake,  Mr.  Lake,  etc.  It  was  unfortunate 
for  Sir  John  Shelly  that  there  were  so  many  false 
starts  for  this  Derby — no  less  than  ten — in  five  of 
which  Prince  Paul  took  the  lead,  but  by  being  pulled 
up  so  often  the  colt  became  fretful  and  lost  his  temper 
and — the  race.  Chifney,  the  jockey,  is  reputed  this 
year  to  have  'shown  a  masterpiece  of  horsemanship,' 
and  won  by  three-parts  of  a  length.  The  winner 
was  foaled  on  May  "icSth,  1815,  and  won  the  Derby 
on  the  day  he  was  three  3'ears  of  j)ge.  At  the  start 
Prince  Paul  was  favourite  in  the  betting  at  2  to  1  ; 
Sam  was  quoted  at  double  those  odds.  There  were 
fifty- six  subscribers  to  Sam's  Derby,  and  sixteen  horses 
started  for  the  race.  The  value  of  the  stakes  would 
be  1,800  guineas. 

F.  Buckle  won  the  Oaks  on  Mr.  Udny's  Corinne,  by 
Waxy  out  of  Briseis  (winner  of  the  One  Thousand), 
beating  nine  competitors.  Fanny,  the  property  of  Mr. 
Jones,  was  favourite,  but  only  got  third ;  5  to  2  was 
betted  against  Corinne. 

Of  the  fifty-four  horses  nominated,  sixteen  came  to 

the  starting  post.     Only  two  of  the  competing  colts 

jgj()        were   distinguished  by  the  judge.     These 

Tiiesias.  were  the  Duke  of  Portland's  br.  c.  Tiresias, 
by  Soothsayer  out  of  Pledge,  by  Waxy,  placed  first, 
and  Mr.  Crockford's  b.  c.  Sultan,  wliich  was  assigned 
second  honours.     Tiresias,  ridden  by  W.  Clift,   took 


A  CHRONICLE  OF  THE  DERBY.  277 

the  lead,  and,  despite  the  challenges  of  Euphrates 
and  Truth,  was  brought  home  a  winner,  beating  Sultan, 
who  ruade  an  effort  in  the  last  hundred  yards,  by  'half 
a  neck.'  Mr.  Crockford  also  ran  Emperor.  Lords 
Foley,  G.  H.  Cavendish,  and  Rous  had  horses  in  the 
race  ;  also  \\x.  Payne  and  Mr.  Lake.  The  odds  against 
Tiresias,  who  was  favourite  at  the  start,  were  2  to  1. 
Value  of  the  stakes,  1,750  guineas. 

In  1819  there  were  thirty-nine  subscribers  to  the 
Oaks,  and  ten  fillies  came  to  the  post.  Evadne,  the 
property  of  Mr.  AA'atson,  was  made  favourite  in  the 
bettiug,  but  the  winner  turned  up  in  Mr.  Thornhill's 
Shoveller,  by  Scud  out  of  (Josseander,  which,  ridden 
by  Chifney  with  great  skill,  only  beat  Lord  G.  H. 
Cavendish's  Espagnolle  by  'little  more  than  a  head,' 
F.  Buckle  was  entrusted  with  the  guidance  of  the 
second  horse.  Catgut,  the  Duke  of  Grafton's  filly, 
winner  of  the  One  Thousand  Guineas,  starting  at 
12  to  1,  was  not  placed. 

Wx.  Thornhill's  ch.  c.  Sailor,  by  Scud  out  of  Gosse- 
ander,  by  Hambletonian,  ridden  by  S.  Chifney,  was 
^^g.Q  the  winner  of  this  year's  Derby.  F.  Buckle 
Sdiior.  ^yr.^g  entrusted  with  the  handling  of  Mr. 
Udnj-'s  Abjer,  which  had  to  put  up  with  second 
honours.  Lord  (J.  H.  Cavendish  had  tliird  place 
awarded  to  him  by  the  aid  of  Tiger.  The  Duke  of 
Grafton's  Pindarric,  on  the  strength  of  his  victory  in 
the  Two  Thousand  Guineas,  was  elected  favourite,  the 
odds  of  3  to  1  beinof  offered  aj^ainst  him.  The  race  is 
described  in  one  account  of  it  as  having  been  won  by 
two  lengths.     The  Duke  of  Rutland  supplied  a  runner 


-78  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

ill  The  Main,  Lord  Warwick  his  filly  Selina ;  Lord 
Stawell's  Anti-Gallican,  by  Waxy,  as  also  Lord  Jersey's 
c.  by  Waxy  out  of  Defiance,  took  part  in  the  race. 
Lord  Rous  ran  Hoopoe  ;  Messrs.  Pierse,  Wilson,  Milner, 
Payne,  Fox,  and  Lake  likewise  supplied  runners.  The 
odds  offered  against  Sailor  were  at  the  rate  of  4  to  1. 
'  There  was  some  even  betting  between  Pindarrie  and 
Sailor  a  short  time  before  starting.' 

The  Duke  of  Grafton's  Ptowena,  winner  of  the  One 
Thousand  Guineas,  was  made  favourite  for  this  year's 
Oaks,  but  the  race  was  won  b3"Lord  Egremont's  Caro- 
line, steered  to  victory  by  Edwards ;  Lord  Grosvenor's 
Bombazine  was  third,  the  favourite  being  awarded 
second  place.  '  Won  by  a  length.'  There  were  thirty- 
nine  subscribers. 

'The  race  (run on  Thursday,  June  7th)  was  between 

Gustavus  and  Reginald;  the  latter  made  the  play  to 

jgoi        the  distance-post,  where  Gustavus  took  the 

Gustavus.  lead,  and  won  by  about  half  a  length.' 
Such  is  a  brief  narrative  of  the  contest  for  the  Derby 
of  1821,  for  which  fifty-four  horses  were  nominated, 
of  which  thirteen  were  placed  under  the  starter's 
charge.     The  placed  horses  may  be  named  here  in  full : 

Mr.  Hunter's  gr.  c.  Gustavus,  by  Election  out  of  Lady  Grey  1 
Duke    of    Grafton's   b.    c.   Reginald,    by   Haphazard    out  of 

Prudence  ..-.--..-2 

Mr.  Rams>bottom's  br.  c.  Sir  Hildebrand,  by  Octavius  out  of 

Truth's  dam    - 3 

S.  Day  rode  the  winner,  F.  Buckle  being  on  the 
second  horse.  Gustavus  was  favourite  in  the  betting, 
2  to  1  being  offered  against  it  at  the  fall  of  the  flag ; 
Reginald,  despite  his  victory  in  the  Two  Thousand, 


A  CHROXICLE  OF  THE  DERBY.  27c) 

was  only  second  favourite  at  4  to  1.  The  Duke  of 
York  ran  a  b.  c.  by  Walton  ;  the  Duke  of  Rutland's 
ch.  f.  Mandoline,  by  Waxy,  also  ran  in  the  race  ;  Lords 
Jersey  and  Exeter  likewise  supplied  runners,  as  did 
Mr.  Fox,  Mr.  Duncombe,  Mr.  Batson  and  other  sports- 
men.    Value  of  the  stakes,  1,675  guineas. 

All  the  runners  in  this  year's  contest  for  the  Oaks 
seem  to  have  been  placed  by  the  judge,  but  the 
winner  of  the  One  Thousand,  the  Duke  of  Grafton's 
br.  f.,  Zeal,  only  got  fourth — the  winner  being  found 
in  Lord  Exeter's  Augusta,  which,  ridden  by  J.  Robin- 
son, started  favourite  with  orlds  of  20  to  11  betted 
against  her ;  she  made  all  the  running  and  won  very 
easy,  being  in  front  from  start  to  finish  of  the  race. 

Run  on  May  23rd,  this  year's  race  h;is  been  de- 
scribed as  one  of  the  best  which  ever  took  place  fur  the 
jgo.2       Derby  Stakes.     The  winner  was  the  pro- 
Moses,      perty  of  the  Duke  of  York,  who  had  six 
years    previously   won    with   Prince    Leopold.      The 
three  placed  horses  were : 

The  Duke  of  York's  b.  c.  Moses,  by  Whalebone  or  Seymour 

out  of  Sister  to  Castanea,  by  Gobanna  -  -  -  -  1 
Mr.  liogers'  b.  c.  Ficraro,  by  Haphazard,  dam  by  Selim  -  -  2 
Duke  of  Grafton's  ch.  c.  Hampden,  by  Rubeus       -         -         -  3 

Goodison  rode  th.e  winner,  the  odds  against  him  at 
the  start  being  11  to  2,  3  to  1  being  offered  against 
Hampden,  which  had  been  elected  favourite.  Lords 
Darlington,  Exeter,  and  Egremont  supplied  runners, 
of  which  there  were  twelve  in  all,  selected  from  the 
fifty-three  nominated.  The  Duke  of  York's  colt  led 
the  field  nearly  the  whole  of  the  way,  and  in  the 


2So  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

end   won   by   a   head.      Value    of  the   stakes,    ],G25 
guineas. 

The  race  for  the  Oaks  was  won  by  the  Duke  of 
Grafton's  b.  f.  Pastille,  by  Rubens,  who  had  previously 
won  the  Two  Thousand  Guineas,  F.  Buckle  being  the 
jockey,  beating  three  other  tillies  of  the  same  sire — '  an 
uncommonly  fine  race,'  won  by  a  head,  Major  Wilson's 
ch.  f.  by  Rubens  being  second,  and  Sister  to  Neva 
third.  The  odds  were  11  to  8  ao'ainst  the  Duke  of 
Grafton's  Whizgig,  which  had  been  elected  favourite  ; 
Pastille's  price  was  7  to  2. 

Although  sixt}^  horses  had  been  nominated  for  this 

year's  Derby,  only  eleven  of  the  number  appeared  at 

jgo3        the  starting-post  on  Thursday,  May  29th. 

Emiiius.  'p^yQ  Qf  ^\^Q  i^im^ber  were  placed  by  the 
judge  ;  those  were  : 

Mr.  Udny's  b.  c.  Emiliup,  by  Orville  out  of  Emily  -        -  1 

Mr.  Rogers'  b.  c.  Tailored,  brother  to  Pacha  -        -        -        -  2 

Mr.  Rogers  also  ran  Nicolo,  the  winner  of  the  Two 
Thousand  Guineas — this  horse  was  a  twin,  and  was 
brother  to  Langar,  b}'-  Selim.  The  Duke  of  Grafton 
ran  two  of  his  colts.  F.  Buckle  and  W.  Wheatly  were 
the  placed  jockeys.  Emiiius  and  Tancred  started 
equal  favourites,  the  price  being  7  to  4  against  either. 
The  race  has  been  briefly  described  in  the  following 
fashion  :  '  Emiiius  took  the  lead  until  he  came  to  Tat- 
tenham  Corner,  when  he  Avas  headed  by  Tancred  ; 
Emiiius,  however,  soon  defeated  him  and  won  by  a 
lengtli  in  fine  style.'  The  value  of  the  stakes  amounted 
to  1,775  guineas. 


A  CHRONICLE  OF  THE  DERBY.  2S1 

By  the  success  of  h's  brown  fill}",  Zinc,  the  Duke  of 
Grafton  won  tliis  year  his  sixth  Oaks.  Buckle  was  the 
rider,  and  defcuted  nine  runners,  winning  by  three 
lengths.  The  Duke's  filly  had  previously  wun  the 
One  Thousand  Guineas. 

Seventeen  of  the  fifty-eight  horses  nominated  f(>r 
jy9^        the  race  of  June  3rd  came  to  the  starting- 

Cedric.  post — Ccdric,  the  winner,  being  ridden  by 
J.  Fvobinson.  The  first  .and  second  horses  only  were 
placed,  namely : 

Sir  J.  Shelly's  ch.  c.  Cedrir,  by  Phantom  ont  of  Sister  to  Parrot  1 
Sir  W.  M.  iMiloers  br.  c.  Uiuioud,  by  Filho  da  Puta  out  of 
Banshee  ----------2 

Other  noblemen  and  gentlemen  who  supplied 
runners  were  the  Duke  of  Grafton,  Lord  Stradbroke 
(2),  Loid  Egremont  and  Lord  G.  H.  Cavendish, 
General  Grosvenor,  Mr.  Udny,  ]\lr.  Forth,  Mr.  Houlds- 
worth,  Mr.  Greville,  Mr.  Batson,  etc.  Mr.  Thornhill's 
ch.  c.  Beform  started  favourite  with  odds  of  5  to  2 
being  offered  against  him  ;  4  to  1  was  the  price  laid 
against  the  winner.  Osmond,  described  as  beino- 
'  amiss,'  ran  well,  especially  in  three  false  starts 
which  took  place,  but  in  the  race,  at  the  fourth 
time  of  asking,  he  did  not  get  well  away — Cedric,  when 
it  came  to  real  business,  taking  the  lead,  keeping  in 
front  and  winning  eas}'.  Value  of  the  race,  1,875 
guineas. 

Lord  Jersey's  filly,  Cobweb,  by  Bhnntom  out  of 
Fillagree,  winner  of  the  One  Thousand,  also  proved 
victorious  in  the  Oiiks.  She  was  ridden  in  both  races 
by  J.  Robinson,  who  had  twelve  opponents,  and  beat 


2 32  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

Colonel  Yates'  Fille  de  Joie  by  a  length.  Betting : 
6  to  4  on  Cobweb. 

J.  Robinson,  W.  Arnold,  and  S.  Chifney  were  the 

riders   of  the   three  placed   horses  in  the  Derby  of 

ig25.        1825,  which  was  run  on  May  19th.     There 

Middieton.  ^^y;QXQ,  fifty-eight  subscribers  to  the  race,  and 
eighteen  horses  came  to  the  starting-post ;  the  largest 
field  that  had  yet  assembled  to  run  for  the  '  Blue 
Ribbon  of  the  Turf.'  The  following  is  a  list  of  the 
three — all  chestnut  colts — placed  by  the  judge  : 

Lord  Jersey's  ch.  c.  Middieton,  by  Phantom  out  of  Web,  by 
Waxy      ----------1 

Duke  of  Grafton's  ch.  c.  Rufus,  by  Election  out  of  Prudence, 
by  Waxy 2 

Mr.  Batson's  ch.  c.  Hogarth,  by  Rubens  out  of  Pranks,  by 
Hyperion         -------.-3 

The  Duke  of  York  and  Lord  Oxford  also  had  runners 
in  the  race,  as  had  also  several  of  the  prominent 
sportsmen  of  the  period,  such  as  Mr.  Udny,  Mr. 
Wyndham,  Mr.  Heathcote,  Mr.  Rogers,  and  Mr. 
Milner.  The  race  is  reputed  to  have  been  won 
cleverly  by  two  lengths,  Robinson  making  a  rush 
about  fifty  yards  from  the  winning-post ;  Mr.  Benson's 
Dauntless,  by  Whalebone,  came  in  fourth.  The  bet- 
ting at  the  start  indicated  the  result,  the  odds  offered 
being  7  to  4  against  Middieton  and  2  to  1  against 
Rufus.  The  stakes  this  year  amounted  to  1,900 
guineas,  the  largest  sum  that  had  yet  accrued. 

The  Oaks  of  the  year  was  won  by  a  neck  (owing  to 
the  superior  skill  of  Chifney)  by  Wings,  a  chestnut 
iilly  belonging  to  General  Grosvenor.     Mr.  F.  Craven's 


A  CHRONICLE  OF  THE  DERBY.  28 3 

Pastime  was  placed  second  in  a  field  of  ten,  and  the 
Duke  of  Grafton's  Tontine,  the  winner  of  the  One 
Thousand  Guineas,  was  only  the  recipient  of  third 
honours.  General  Grosvenor  also  ran  the  Brownie  ; 
the  Dukes  of  York  and  llutland  had  also  runners  in 
the  race.  There  were  fifty  subscribers  to  the  Oaks  of 
1825. 

Nineteen    (one  more  than  in  the  preceding  3'ear) 

out  of  the  fifty-seven  horses  nominated  for  the  race 

2306        came    to    the    starting-post,   only   two    of 

Lapdog.  the  number,  however,  being  placed  by  the 
judge — namely : 

Lord  Egremont's  b.  c.  Lapdog,  brother  to  Twatty,  by  VVliale- 
bone  (riddun  bj'  G.  Dockera})  -         -         -         -         -  1 

Mr.  West's  br.  c.  S'lakespeare,  by  bmulensko  out  of  Charmiiif^ 
Molly 2 

His  Grace  the  Duke  of  Grafton  ran  two  of  his  horses 
• — namely,  Dervise,  winner  of  the  Two  Thousand,  and 
Dollar;  Lord  Exeter  was  also  doubly  represented  in 
the  race,  his  horses  being  Tiriiilleur  and  Hobgoblin. 
The  other  runners  were  the  property  of  gentlemen 
whose  names  have  been  given  as  running  horses  in 
some  of  the  preceding  races.  On  May  25th,  the  day 
of  the  race,  there  fell  an  incessant  downpour  of  rain, 
which  threw  a  damper  on  the  proceedings.  At  the 
starting-post  30  to  1  was  offered  against  the  winner, 
but  the  race  was  won  cleverly  enough  by  a  length. 
Mr.  Forth's  Premier  started  favourite  at  3  to  1  offered 
against  it.  Value  of  the  stakes,  1,800  sovereigns — the 
entry- money  having  been  changed  this  year  from 
guineas  to  pounds. 


284  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

The  Duke  of  Grafton's  Problem,  winner  of  the  One 
Thousand,  started  a  pretty  hot  favourite  (5  to  4  against) 
for  the  Oaks,  but  only  obtained  second  place  to  Mr. 
Forth's  Lilias  (afterwards  Babel),  ridden  by  T.  Lye,  who 
rode  a  fine  race  and  won  by  a  length.  There  were 
forty- nine  subscribers,  and  fifteen  of  their  fillies  came 
to  the  starting-post. 

An  increase  of  thirty-two  over  the  number  of  last 
year  brings  the  subscribers  for  the  race  of  1827  up 
1827  ^^  eightj'-nine,  at  which  it  remains,  as 
Mameluke.  vviU  be  socu  by-aud-by,  for  the  three  suc- 
ceeding years.  Twentj'-thrce  of  the  number  were 
seen  at  the  starting-post,  and  the  race  resulted  as 
follows : 

Lord  Jersey's  b.  c.  Mameluke,  by  Partisan  out  of  Miss  Sophia  1 
Lord   Jersey's   b.   c.   Glenartney,   brother  to   Middleton,   by 
Phantcru  -         --         -         -         -         -         -         -2 

No  third  was  given.  J.  Kobinson  had  the  mount  on 
the  winner,  H.  Edwards  being  on  the  second  horse. 
Several  of  the  sportsmen  of  the  period,  in  addition  to 
Lord  Jersey,  were  doubly  represented,  thus  the  Duke 
of  Grafton  ran  Turcoman,  winner  of  the  Two  Thousand, 
and  Roderick,  whilst  Lord  Egremont  was  represented 
by  Gaberlunzie  and  Grampus.  Mr.  Yates  also  ran  a 
couple,  as  did  Mr.  Haffenden,  Mr.  Payne,  and  Mr. 
Forth.  Other  competitors  were  supplied  by  Lord 
Exeter,  Mr.  Berkeley,  Captain  Locke,  Mr.  L.  Charlton, 
and  Mr.  Sadler.  Odds  of  9  to  1  were  ottered  against 
Mameluke  at  the  start,  Glenartney  being  favourite  at 
5  to  .1.  Mameluke  v/on  easily  by  two  lengths.  Value 
of  the  stakes,  2,800  sovereigns. 


A  CHRONICLE  OF  THE  DERBY.  2S5 

The  Oaks  of  this  year  also  shows  increased  numbers, 
there  being  seventy-nine  entries  for  the  race,  and  a 
capital  tield  of  nineteen  starters.  The  Duke  oF  Rich- 
mond's Gulnare,  by  Smolensko  out  of  Medora,  by 
Selim,  ridden  by  F.  }3oyce,  won  by  half  a  length, 
starting  with  odds  of  1-i  to  1  against  her.  The  value 
of  the  (Jaks  Stakes  this  year  would  be  2,450  sovereigns  ; 
the  owner  of  the  second  horse  was  paid  a  hundred 
sovereifrns. 

A  memorable  Derby  year,  resulting,  first  of  all,  in  a 

dead-heat,  and  then  in  tlie  victory  of  Cadland,  The 

jj.,,,^        Colonel    having   to   put   up   with    second 

Cadiaud.  houours.  The  competing  jockeys  were  J. 
Robinson  and  W.  Scott.  None,  other  than  the  two 
animals  named,  had  any  chance,  and  they  finished 
*  a  most  beautiful  race,'  so  close  together  that  they 
could  not  be  separated.  Out  of  the  eighty- nine  horses 
nominated,  fifteen  faced  the  starter.  One  of  the 
number  fell,  his  rider  being  much  injured.  The 
Colonel  and  Cadland  started  nearly  equal  favourites 
in  the  betting ;  the  latter,  as  winner  of  the  Two 
Thousand  Guineas  Stakes,  had  a  strong  following. 
'  The  sensation  caused  by  the  unlooked-for  event  of  a 
dead-heat  for  the  Derby,'  says  a  commentator  on  the 
race,  'did  not  subside  for  some  time.  It  being  de- 
cided that  the  second  heat  should  be  run  after  the 
race  for  the  Dardans  Stakes,  betting  began  anew 
between  The  Colonel  and  Cadland,  the  former  havin<r 
the  call  at  6  to  5.  Cadland  agiiin  set  off  at  good 
sound  running,  being  well  looked  after  by  The  Colonel, 
and  so  they  went  to  the  chains,  where  the  latter  made 


2S6  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OE  THE  TURF. 

play  and  got  up.  A  desperate  contest  followed,  and 
lasted  to  the  last  few  yards,  when  Cadland  won  by 
half  a  leno^th.'     The  followino:  was  the  result : 

Duke  of  Rutland's  br.  c.  Cadland,  by  Andrew  out  of  Porcery  1 
Mr.  Petre's  ch.  c.  The  Colonel,  by  Whis-ker  out  of  Sister  to 
Miss  Newton ---2 

No  thh'd  horse  was  placed  by  the  judge.  The  Duke 
of  Grafton  ran  two  colts  in  this  3'ear's  race.  Mr.  W. 
Chifney's  Zingaree  also  started ;  and  ]jord  Grosvenor 
and  General  Grosvenor  also  supjjlied  starters,  as  did 
also  Messrs.  Payne,  Holdsworth,  Benson,  and  Thorn- 
hill ;  and  '  two  finer  races  than  those  for  this  year's 
Derby  never  were  seen.'  The  value  of  the  stakes 
would  be  2,G00  sovereigns. 

The  Duke  of  Grafton's  Turquoise,  by  Selim  out  o 
Pope  Joan,  by  Waxy,  beating  thiiteen  opponents,  won 
the  Oaks,  for  which   there  were   seventy-eight   sub- 
scribers. 

Several  incidents  in  connection  with  the  Derby  of 
1829,  other  than  the  race  itself,  deserve  to  be 
jgo()  chronicled.  In  the  first  place,  a  new 
Frederick.  Grand  Stand  bad  been  erected,  and,  in  the 
second  place,  the  horses  were  started  for  the  first 
time  at  Epsom  by  means  of  flags,  the  plan  successfully 
adopted  at  the  Doncaster  meeting  of  the  preceding 
year;  thirdly,  the  jockey  who  rode  the  winner  (Forth) 
was  over  sixty  years  of  age !  The  field  numbered 
seventeen  runners,  and  would  have  been  swelled  by 
three  more  had  not  Rupert,  Harold,  and  Camel  colt 
been  drawn  an  hour  or  two  before  the  race.  The 
subscribers  of  this  year  included,  as   usual,   several 


A  CHROXICLE  OF  THE  DERBY.  287 

members  of  the  aristocracy.  Lords  Sligo,  G.  Caven- 
dish, Exeter,  Sefton,  Grosvenor,  and  Egremont  ran 
horses  in  the  race.  Previous  to  the  day  appointed  for 
the  contest,  there  had  been  many  ups  and  downs  in 
the  betting,  horses  having  been  brought  prominently 
forward  in  the  market  and  quoted  at  short  prices  that 
liad  no  chance  to  win.  No  ])revious  Derby  had  shown 
in  the  market  quotations  so  many 'first  favourites,' 
and  at  such  long  odds.  And  to  show  the  slings  and 
arrows  of  the  outrageous  fortune  v.diich  oftentimes 
attend  the  efforts  of  backers,  it  may  be  here  re- 
corded that  Cant,  which  was  heavily  backed,  and 
might  have  won,  died  before  the  race  could  be  run. 
The  King's  Electress  colt  was  another  good  one  which 
might  have  shown  prominently  during  the  struggle, 
but  death  intervened  in  this  case  also.  Lord  Exeter 
was  owner  of  the  colt  Avhich  enjoyed  the  pride  of 
place  at  the  start,  while  the  handsome  odds  of  33  to  1 
might  have  been  got  about  Frederick,  the  Avinner. 
Quoting  from  a  writer  of  the  period,  the  following 
paragraph  on  the  subject  of  tlie  betting  on  this  Derby, 
which  from  its  commencement  up  to  the  Newmarket 
Craven  Meeting  possessed  an  extraordinary  character, 
will  be  found  interesting :  '  On  former  occasions  it  was 
thought  wisest  to  back  winners,  but  speculation,  like 
the  times,  has  brought  about  quite  a  new  thing  in  the 
art  of  making  a  book.  Nowadays,  forsooth,  it  is 
looked  upon  as  the  safest  to  select  the  favourites  from 
the  crowd  of  beaten  horses,  or  horses  from  bad  or  un- 
lucky stables.  For  instance,  they  (the  bettors)  picked 
out  Canvass,  Luss,  Prince  Eugene,  Brother  to  Moses, 
etc.,  upon  whom  they  laid  it  on  pretty  strong,  havino- 


288  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

them  at  various  periods  at  the  top  of  the  odds,  nor  did 
they  find  out  their  mistake  till  it  was  too  late  to  save 
themselves.' 

There  is  little  that  is  of  much  interest  to  chronicle 
about  the  runniuj^  of  the  race.  Frederick,  it  was  soon 
made  obvious  to  all  the  lookers-on,  had  the  race  at  his 
mercy  from  the  start.  When  this  fact  dawned  on  the 
spectators  it  tilled  them  with  consternation ;  very  few 
indeed  had  thought  it  at  all  probable  that  Frederick 
would  win  the  Derby.  Forth,  his  trainer  and  rider, 
was  early  of  opinion  that  he  had  in  his  stable  the 
winning  horse,  and  when  he  tried  Frederick  and  found 
he  could  beat  Exquisite,  he  felt  pretty  sure  of  victor3^ 
His  original  intention  was  to  ride  Exquisite  himself, 
but  after  the  trial  he  chauGfed  his  mind,  and  elected  to 
ride  the  winner,  putting  up  young  Buckle  on  the 
second  horse.  Frederick  only  won  by  a  head  ;  but  it 
was  quite  clear  to  all  that  his  veteran  jockey  might 
liave  taken  the  race  by  a  lengr-h,  or  even  two  lengths, 
if  he  had  pleased.  His  jockeyship  was  excellent  all 
the  way,  displaying  thorough  knov.dodge  of  the  temper 
of  his  horse  ;  in  short-,  his  intrepidity  and  coolness 
durinfi"  the  race  were  remarkable,  and  the  belief  he 
entertained  of  the  ability  of  his  horse  to  win  was  shown 
in  the  fact  of  his  having  backed  him  to  win  twenty 
thousand  pounds  !  Nearly  every  betting  man,  as  the 
saying  goes,  was  '  on  '  Patron  (winner  of  the  Two 
Thousand)  in  the  end,  which  caused  the  short  odds  of 
G  to  5  to  be  accepted,  and  as  a  rule  the  betting  public 
lost  heavily  by  the  victory  of  the  outsider.  The  two 
placed  horses  were  Mr.  Gratwicke's  bl.  c.  Frederick,  by 
Little  John,  dam  by  Phantom,  ridden  by  John  Forth ; 


A  CHRONICLE  OF  THE  DERBY.  289 

Exquisite,  the  property  of  ]\Ir.  Forth,  was  awarded 
second  honours.  This  year  a  complete  Kst  of  the 
jockeys  is  given.  A  horse  called  Oaklands,  the  property 
of  Mr.  Rush,  might  have  been  placed  third.  Value  of 
the  stakes,  2,G50  sovereigns. 

Out  of  the  seventy-seven  subscriptions  for  the  Oaks, 
fifteen  runners  started.  Victory  fell  to  Lord  Exeter's 
filly  Green  Mantle.  His  lordship  also  had  second 
honours  with  Varna.  Mr.  Ridsdale's  ClotiJde,  which 
started  favourite,  is  reputed  to  have  been  third.  Lord 
G.  H.  Cavendish's  Young  Mouse,  winner  of  the  One 
Thousand  Guineas,  started  second  favourite. 

Out  of  the  eighty-nine  horses  entered  for  the  Derby 
of  1880,  run  on  Thursday,  May  27th,  twenty-three 
jg30,  came  to  the  post — the  value  of  the  stakes 
Pri.im.  being  2,800  sovereigns ;  the  second  horse 
earning  JOO  sovereigns.  Several  of  the  prominent 
sportsmen  of  the  day  contributed  runners  to  the 
race,  his  Majesty  being  one  of  the  number.  The 
King's  horse  was  Young  Orion,  by  Master  Henry, 
out  of  Orion's  dam.  Three  of  Lord  Exeter's  horses 
ran,  one  of  them  being  Augustus,  by  Sultan,  out  of 
Augusta,  the  Vv^inner  of  the  Two  Thousand.  Lords 
Grosvenor,  Egremont,  Cleveland,  Sligo,  Sefton,  and 
G.  H.  Cavendish  also  supplied  competitors,  as  did  Sir 
M.  Wood  (2)  and  Sir  David  Baird.  The  first,  second, 
and  third  in  the  race,  ridden  by  Sam  Day,  S.  Temple- 
man,  and  John  Day,  respectively,  were  : 

Mr.  W.  Chifney's  b.  c.  Priam,  by  Emilias  out  of   Cressida     -  1 
Mr.   Ridsdale's  ch.  c.   Little  Red   Rover,   by   Tramp  out  of 

Miss  Syntax 2 

Lord  Exeter's  b.  c.  Mahmoud,  by  Saltan  out  of  Advance       -  3 

19 


290  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

The  favourite  at  the  start  was  Priam,  against  whom 
4  to  1  was  betted,  5  to  1  was  laid  against  Little  Red 
Rover,  6  to  1  against  the  King's  horse,  Young  Orion, 
12  to  1  against  Augustus,  the  winner  of  the  Two 
Thousand  Guineas.  A  number  of  false  starts  occurred 
before  the  real  race  came  on  for  decision,  but  the 
horses  at  length  '  got  off  in  a  most  beautiful  manner.' 
The  following  is  one  account  of  how  the  victory  was 
achieved  by  Priam,  and  it  is  a  noticeable  circumstance 
that  the  Derby  now  attracts  every  year  a  large  degree 
of  attention.  *  Donizelli,  the  property  of  Mr.  Gully, 
took  the  lead  at  a  good  pace,  followed  by  Lord  Exeter's 
Red  Rover,  his  little  namesake  lying  next,  with  Port 
and  Mahmoud,  the  others  being  well  laid  up  in  a  body, 
Priam  outside  and  nearly  the  last  horse  in  the  race. 
Donizelli  continued  the  running  up  the  hill,  when 
Red  Rover  challenged  and  went  to  the  front.  He  kept 
there  till  just  before  the  turn,  and  then  Little  Red 
Rover  took  the  lead,  Augustus  coming  up  at  the  same 
time.  These  two  maintained  the  running  to  the  dis- 
tance, where  Mahmoud  joined  them.  Priam  had  been 
in  the  rear  till  past  the  rubbing-house,  then  Sam  Day 
beo-an  to  draw  upon  his  horse,  and  at  Tattenham 
Corner  he  was  in  the  foremost  ranks  with  Young 
Orion.  Brunswicker,  Mummer,  Thermometer,  Brine, 
etc. ;  but  he  waited  with  great  patience  till  they  got  to 
the  Grand  Stand,  where  Augustus  gave  up,  Mahmoud 
at  the  same  tim3  beginning  to  flag.  Day  then  made  a 
rush  a  la  Ch'ifney,  shook  off  Little  Red  Rover  after 
a  short  struggle,  and  won  very  cleverly  by  two 
lengths.' 

G.   Edwards,  riding  Mr.   Scott   Stonehewer's  fill}', 


A  CHRONICLE  OF  THE  DERBY.  291 

named  Variation,  won  the  Oaks  from  Feventeen  com- 
petitors ;  Lord  Sefton's  Moiiche  being  second,  ridden  by 
G.  H.  Edwards  ;  whilst  Mr.  Corbet's  Jenny  Vertpre, 
steered  by  A.  Pa  vis,  was  phiced  third.  Lord  Jersey's 
Charlotte  West,  winner  of  the  One  Thousand,  was 
among  the  starters.  Variation  won  by  two  lengths. 
There  were  seventy-seven  subscribers.  Priam,  it  should 
be  recorded  here,  ultimately  found  a  home  in  Virginia. 
The  price  for  which  he  was  sold  was  thought  at  the 
time  to  be  a  big  one ;  it  was  3,500  guineas. 

Of  the  twenty-three  hor.-es  which,   on   May  19th, 

started  for  the  Derby  of  1831,  more  than  half  belonged 

1831        ^®  persons  of  title,  '  the  Dukes  and  Lords 

Spaniel,  of  the  Derby  '  being  well  represented.  The 
King  contributed  one  runner  ;  the  Dukes  of  Richmond 
and  Grafton  had  also  one  each  in  the  field  ;  Lord 
Jersey  ran  two,  one  of  them  getting  second ;  Lords 
Sligo,  Exeter,  Verulam,  Chesterfield,  and  Egremont, 
also  furnished  each  a  runner;  whilst  Lord  Lowther 
supplied  the  winner.  Only  two  of  the  runners  were 
placed  ;   these  were '. 

Lord  Lowther's  b,  c.  Spaniel,  brother  to  Lapdog,  by  Whalebone  1 
Lord  Jersey's  ch.  c.  Riddlesworth,  by  Etuilius  out  of  FiUagree  2 

their  respective  jockeys  being  W.  Wheatly  and  H. 
Edwards.  Chifney  had  two  in  the  race.  Mr.  S.  Day 
ran  Caleb,  by  Waterloo.  Among  the  other  subscribers 
who  contributed  to  the  field  were  Mr.  Cooke,  Mr.  Beards- 
worth,  Mr.  Rush,  Mr.  Petre,  Mr.  Thornhill,  Mr.  Vau- 
sittart,  and  Sir  R.  W.  Bulkeley.  Spaniel  started  at 
the  very  remunerative  odds  of  50  to  1,  odds  of  6  to  4 

19—2 


292  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

Leing  laid  on  the  favourite,  Riddlesworth,  who  had 
won  the  Two  Thousand  Guineas.  The  race,  which 
was  considered  '  a  slow  run  one,'  Avas  won  very  easily 
by  nearly  three-quarters  of  a  length,  and  Spaniel,  the 
winner,  bred  by  Lord  Egremont,  was  bought  as  '  a 
weed'  for  a  very  small  sum,  as  is  elsewhere  related. 
The  horse,  as  far  as  pedigree  is  an  indication,  was  bred 
to  win,  but  he  made  no  great  show — in  fact,  was  a 
faihu-e  so  far  as  his  two-year-old  career  was  concerned. 
As  a  three-year-old  he  was  destined  to  cut  a  greater 
figure,  the  Whalebone  blood  being  better  able  at  that 
age  to  assert  itself,  and  so  before  the  Derby  Day  he  had 
placed  two  races  to  his  credit.  His  race  was  run  when 
he  won  the  Derby,  and  he  did  very  little  good  after- 
wards, winning,  however,  a  plate  or  two.  In  all,  he  ran 
in  nineteen  races,  of  which  he  won  eight,  of  the  collec- 
tive value  of  £3,G75,  to  which  the  Derby  contributed 
£3,000.  The  value  of  the  stakes  that  year  was 
£3,200,  of  which  sum  £100  was  given  to  the  second 
horse,  and  £100  was  deducted  for  police  expenses ! 
Of  Spaniel,  what  was  said  by  a  critic  of  the  period 
may  be  here  quoted  :  '  He  was  honest,  stout,  and  true, 
and  possessed  a  hide  of  silk  and  a  heart  of  oak.' 

Oxygen,  the  property  of  the  Duke  of  Grafton,  and 
the  winner  of  the  Oaks,  was  the  best  mare  of  her 
year  ;  she  was  ridden  in  the  race  by  J.  Day,  beating 
Lord  Exeter's  Marmora  by  a  neck  ;  Lord  Lowther's 
Guitar  being  third,  and  ]\[r.  Houldsworth's  Circassian 
fourth.  The  Duke  of  Grafton  also  ran  Blassis  (after- 
wards Mistletoe) ;  the  King's  representative  was 
Minetta.  Eighty- six  fillies  were  nominated,  from 
which  a  field  of  twenty-one  faced  the  starter. 


A  CHRONICLE  OF  THE  DERBY.  293 

The  nominations  this  year  were  less  by  four  than  in 

1831,  still  leaving  the  number  above  the  hundred,  which 

1830        shows  that  the  race  had  at  last  become  a 

St.  Giles.  i^y.[  event  of  considerable  importance.  Mr. 
Piidsdale  in  1832  ran  first  and  third,  his  confederate,  Mr. 
Gully,  being  placed  fourth  by  means  of  his  horse  Mar- 
grave, which  was  destined  to  win  the  St.  Leger  of  the 
same  3^ear.  Of  the  101  nominated,  twenty-two 
came  to  the  post,  the  following  three  being  placed  by 
the  judge: 

Mr.  Ridsdale's  ch.  c.  St.  Giles,  by  Tramp  out  of  Arcot  Laes, 
by  Ardrossan  ---------1 

Mr.  Vansittart's  ch.  c.  Perion,  by  Whis-ker  out  of  Darioletta  -  2 
Mr.  Ridsdale's  ch.  c.  Trustee,  by  Catton  out  of  Emma  -         •  3 

W.  Scott  was  the  jockey  who  rode  the  winner,  and 
F.  Boyce  and  G.  Edwards  were  on  the  second  and 
third  horses.  Lords  Exeter  and  Lowther  ran  each  two 
horses  in  the  race  ;  Lords  Chesterfield,  Mountcharles, 
Worcester,  Portarlington,  and  Oxford  also  supplied 
runners,  as  did  Sir  G.  Heathcote,  W.  Chifney,  and  Mr. 
Forth.  St.  Giles  started  favourite,  with  odds  of  3  to  1 
against  it,  5  to  1  Perion,  6  to  1  Margrave,  and  25  to  1 
against  Trustee,  who  ran  a  remarkably  good  race, 
being  only  half  a  length  astern  of  Perion  at  the  finish; 
but  in  the  end,  after  much  shifting  about,  St.  Giles 
took  the  race  by  a  length  and  a  half,  the  verdict  being 
'  won  easily.'  Peiram,  Lord  Exeter's  horse,  was  at  one 
time  favourite  for  the  race,  and  was  greatly  liked,  but 
before  the  start  his  figure  in  the  price  current  was  20 
to  1.  According  to  a  turf  writer,  St.  Giles  was  'one 
of  the  fastest  racers  ever  seen  for  the  Derby,  and  a 
proud   triumph   for   the  north  country,  their  horses 


294  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

being  first,  second,  third,  and  fourth,'  while  both  the 
owner,  and  winner,  and  the  jockey  were  Yorkshire. 
An  objection  was  entered  against  the  winner,  which 
caused  a  sensation :  on  the  matter,  one  of  wrong 
description,  being  considered  by  three  gentlemen  who 
were  asked  to  adjudicate,  they  gave  the  victory  to 
the  hor.';<3  that  had  won  it.  The  St.  Giles  party,  it  was 
said  at  the  time,  won  a  '  heap '  amongst  them,  the 
trainer  pocketing  a  large  sum,  whilst  Crockiord  was 
reputed  to  have  gained  six  or  seven  '  thou '  on  his 
book.  St.  Giles  was  kept  at  work  till  about  the  close 
of  his  sixth  year,  and  was  ultimately  sold  to  go  to 
America.  The  nominal  value  cf  the  stakes  run  for  in 
1832  was  3,075  sovereigns. 

Galata,  the  property  of  Lord  Exeter,  won  both  the 
One  Thousand  Guineas  and  the  Oaks,  taking  honours 
in  the  latter  race  by  two  lengths,  beating  Mr.  S.  Day's 
Lady  Fly  (second),  and  Mr.  Sadler's  Eleanor,  by 
Middlcton  (third).  She  was  ridden  by  P.  Connolly,  and 
started  favourite,  with  odds  of  5  to  2  laid  against  her. 
Nineteen  out  of  the  eighty-three  entered  ran.  '  As  St. 
Giles  is  to  London, so  is  Galata  to  Constantinople;  and 
so  there's  a  sort  of  coincidence,  you  see,  on  the  two 
results.'  This  fine  mare  won  eight  of  the  eleven  stakes 
for  which  she  started. 

To  the  Derby  of  this  year,  decided  on  Thursday, 

May   23rd,  there  were   124   subscribers,  the   largest 

jg33        number   ever   recorded    up    to    the   date. 

D.ingerous.  Ainoug    tliose   wlio   helped   to   swell    the 

entry,  and  who   sent  their  horses  to  the  post,  were 

many  of   the  best-known  sportsmen  of  the  day,  al- 


A  CHRONICLE  OF  THE  DERBY.  295 

tliougli  those  possessing  titles — or  as  an  old  groom  used 
t )  say,  '  'andles  to  their  names  ' — were  conspicuously 
1 3ss  than  usual.  The  Dukes  of  Grafton  and  Richmond, 
however,  each  sent  a  horse  to  the  post,  as  did  Lords 
Jersey  and  Verulam,  Avhilst  Lord  Exeter  had  two  colts 
in  the  field.  Mr.  John  Scott,  Mr.  C.  Forth,  and  Mr. 
W.  Chifney  were  also  represented,  as  also  Mr.  Ridsdale. 
The  horses  of  Messrs.  Greville,  Houldsworth,  Sir  G. 
Heathcote,  and  Mr.  Payne,  also  came  to  the  starting- 
post.  The  three  placed  by  the  judge  out  of  tho 
twenty-five  which  started  (the  largest  field  that  had 
yet  competed  in  the  lace)  were : 

Mr.  Sadler's  ch.  c.  Dangerous,  by  Tramp  out  of  Defiance  -  1 
Mr.  J(_ihn  Scott's  br.  c.  Connois^eur,  by  Chateaux  Margaux  -  2 
Mr.  Ilawlinsoii's  b.  c.  Revenge,  by  Fungus      -         -         -         -  3 

The  respective  jockeys  were  J.  Chappie,  S.  Temple- 
man,  and  T.  Cowley.  Mr.  Ridsdale's  Glaucus  was 
elected  favourite,  and  started  with  odds  of  3  to  1 
betted  against  him ;  the  price  laid  against  the  first 
three  was  25  to  1,  100  to  1,  and  18  to  1.  After  three 
or  four  false  starts,  the  runners  got  away  in  fine 
style.  Dangerous  defeated  Connoisseur  at  the  Grand 
Stand  with  scarcely  any  trouble,  by  a  length ;  Revenge, 
coming  up  stoutly  in  the  last  fifty  yards,  managed  to 
get  third  honours.  Value  of  the  stakes,  3,725 
sovereigns. 

Although  Mr.  Cook's  Tarantella,  the  winner  of  the 
One  Thousand,  was  made  favourite  for  the  Oaks, 
that  filly  did  not  even  gain  a  place,  the  race  falling  to 
Sir  Mark  Wood's  Vespa,  who  won  by  a  neck,  after  a 
S3vere  struggle,  and  without  a  quotation  in  the  price 
list.     Chappie  was  the  victorious  jockey.     The  Duke 


296  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

of  Grafton  ran  second  with  Octave.  Yespa,  the 
winner,  was  put  to  the  stud,  but  ultimately  found  a 
home  in  Hungary.  The  Oaks  victory  was  mo^t  un- 
expected ;  Sir  Mark  Wood,  when  he  was  told,  would 
hardly  believe  in  his  success.  Dangerous,  the  winner 
of  the  Derby,  also  found  a  home  abroad,  having  been 
purchased  by  the  French  Government. 

On  Thursday,  May  20th,  1834,  the  Derby  was  Avon 

by  a  horse  named  Plenipotentiary,  the  owner  being 

Mr.    Batson.      Oat    of    the    123    animals 

1834.  .  T 

pieiiipoten-  nommatcd,  twenty- two  came  to  the  start- 
^^'^^'  ing-post,  two  of  the  number  being'  the 
property  of  the  Duke  of  Cleveland.  The  Dukes  of 
Grafton  and  Rutland  each  supplied  a  runner,  as  did 
also  Lords  Lowther,  Orford,  and  Jersey.  The  follow- 
ing are  the  three  placed  by  the  judge  : 

Mr.  Batson's  cb.  c.  Plenipotentiary,  by  Erailius  out  of  Harriet  1 
Duke  of  Cleveland's   b.  c.  Shillelagb,   by  St.  Patrick  out   of 

Emilius'  dam  ----.--.-2 
Lord  Jersey's  ch,  c.  Glencoe,  by  Sultan  out  of  Trampoline     -  3 

P.  Conolly  rode  the  winner,  the  rider  of  Shillelagh 
being  S.  Chifney,  whilst  Gleneoe,  which  had  previously 
won  the  Two  Thousand  Guineas,  was  handled  by 
J,  Robinson.  Pavis,  Buckle,  W.  Scott,  J.  Day,  Chappie, 
and  other  well-known  horsemen  of  the  time  had  also 
mounts  in  the  Derby  of  1834,  which  was  won  by  Mr. 
Batson's  horse  in  a  canter,  by  two  lengths.  In  these 
days  great  delays  often  took  place  before  the  horses 
could  be  started  ;  in  the  case  of  the  race  now  being 
referred  to  there  were  five  false  starts — false  starts, 
indeed,  were  of  frequent  occurrence.  Plenipo  started 
favourite  in  the  betting,  with  odds  of  5  to  2  betted 


A  CHRONICLE  OF  THE  DERBY.  297 

against  him,  3  to  1  being  offered  against  Shillelagh. 
The  value  of  the  stakes  in  1834  would  amount  to  3,625 
sovereigns.  The  Derby  of  1834  was  thought  at  the 
time  it  was  run  to  have  been  a  race'of  more  than  ordi- 
nary interest,  because  of  the  many  good  horses  that 
took  part  in  the  struggle — Plenipo  being  greatly 
admired  and  much  thought  of,  especially  by  the 
'  gentlemen  ' ;  he  was  thought,  indeed,  to  be  a  horse 
the  like  of  which  might  never  again  be  looked  upon. 
The  Chifneys  declared  he  was  a  5  lb.  better  horse 
than  ever  Priam  had  been,  and  in  consequence  backed 
him  very  heavily.  As  was  to  be  expected,  Plenipo  was 
made  favourite  for  the  St.  Leger;  but,  unfortunately 
for  his  backers,  he  made  no  show  in  the  great  north- 
country  race,  at  which  the  racing  public  professed  to  be 
thunderstricken,  and  many  were  not  slow  to  assert  that 
on  the  St.  Leger  Day  Plenipo  was  'a  safe  'un.'  An 
offer  of  £5,000  down,  -or  £1,000  a  year  as  long  as  he 
might  live,  was  refused  for  the  Derby  victor  of  1834. 

Fifteen  fillies  ran  for  the  Oaks,  which  fell  to  Mr. 
Crosby,  by  the  aid  of  Pussy,  ridden  by  J.  Day ;  Mr. 
Perth's  Louisa  Avas  second,  Mr.  Richardson's  Lady  Le 
Gros  third.  The  winner  started  with  odds  of  20  to  1 
betted  against  her,  and  won  cleverly  enough  by  a 
length.  There  Avere  ninety-five  subscriptions  taken 
out  for  the  race. 

Three   dukes  and  three   noble   lords  were   among 

those  who   nominated   (there    were   128   subscribers) 

jg35         and    ran   horses   on    Epsom    Heath    this 

Mundig.  yQc^x  with  a  view  to  winning  the  great 
race  of  the  period,  which,  however,  fell  to  Mr.  Lowes' 


29S  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

ch.  c.  Maadiq-,  odds  of  6  to  1  beino^  laid  accainst  him 
at  the  start,  the  favourite  being  one  of  the  Ibrahims. 
It  must  have  been  productive  of  some  confusion  to 
find  two  horses  of  the  same  name  in  the  betting; 
but  as  neither  of  them  won  nor  was  much  fancied 
for  a  place,  no  wrangling  took  })lace.  The  race,  as 
described  by  the  turf  reporters  of  the  day,  seems  to 
have  been  of  a  most  common-place  description.  The 
pace  is  described  as  being  'severe  throughout,  but 
there  was  not  much  of  a  tail  at  the  finish,'  which 
would  point  to  the  field  being  pretty  much  on  an 
equality.  '  All  the  horses  were  very  moderate,'  asserts 
one  writer ;  '  how  can  it  be  otherwise  when  we  find 
such  an  animal  as  Pelops  third  ?'  The  race  was 
behind  time  in  consequence  of  the  fractiousness  of 
one  or  two  of  the  horses.  There  were  several  false 
starts ;  Silenus  at  length  went  off  with  the  lead  in 
order  to  serve  Ibrahim,  whilst  Luck's  All  was  started  to 
pilot  Mr.  Ridsdale's  c.  Coiiolanus.  Silenus  took  his 
field  along  at  a  powerful  rate  of  speed,  all  the  horses 
keeping  well  together ;  nor  did  Lord  Jersey's  horse 
give  up  his  place  till  he  was  well  within  the  distance. 
Just  before  reaching  the  road  Mundig  and  Ascot  both 
bettered  their  places,  the  first-named  taking  the  upper 
ground,  and  the  latter  taking  the  lower  part  of  the 
road.  When  the  Stand  was  reached  only  four  seemed 
to  be  left  with  any  chance  of  winning  the  race — these 
were  Ibrahim,  Ascot,  Pelops,  and  ]\lundig.  Each  of 
these  seemed  to  be  running  a  match,  so  to  put  the 
case — Ibrahim  and  Ascot,  and  Pelops  and  Mundig. 
Before  the  stand  was  reached  one  of  each  of  these 
pairs  cried  Feccaui.     Mundig   and  Ascot  were   then 


A  CHRONICLE  OF  THE  DERBY.  299 

only  left  of  the  fourteen  to  fight  out  the  battle.  It 
Avas  a  moment  of  suspense  as  the  two  came  on  locked 
together,  just  <d  the  pod  (which  is  the  right  place  to 
■win).  Mundig  won  the  race  ;  at  the  next  stride  Ascot's 
head  was  in  front.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  this  year's  Derby 
was  won  on  the  post,  and  for  some  brief  moments  it 
was  not  known  to  which  horse  the  judge  would  accord 
the  victo^3^  Only  two  horses  were  placed,  but  to 
Pclops  was  generally  awarded  the  honour  of  being- 
third,  lie  was  a  full  length  behind  Ascot,  and 
Ibrahim  was  so  close  beside  liim  that  it  was  difficult 
to  separate  them.  A  gentleman  who  witnessed  this 
stru^c'le  for  the  '  Blue  Kibbon,'  told  the  writer  in  Blue 
Gown's  year  that  if  time  had  been  taken  in  Mundig's 
year  it  would  have  recorded  a  very  fast-run  race. 
W.  Scott  was  the  successful  jockey  in  a  field  of 
fourteen.  The  value  of  the  stakes,  subject  to  the 
usual  deductions,  was  £3,550,  and  Mr.  Bowes  is  said 
to  have  won  £10,000  in  bets,  the  trainer  of  the  horse 
and  his  brother,  who  rode  it,  bagging  each  an  equal 
sum  by  the  victory  of  Mundig. 

Mundif?  before  beini,^  withdrawn  from  work  did  a 
good  deal  of  what  was  described  by  an  old  turfite  as 
*  general  utility  work.'  He  won  eleven  races  between 
Epsom  and  Doncaster,  so  that  the  horse  was  not  allowed 
to  eat  the  bread  of  idleness.  The  winner  of  the  Two 
Thousand,  Lord  Jersey's  b.  c.  Ibrahim,  by  Sidtan,  ran 
in  the  race  for  the  Derby. 

The  Oaks  this  year  was  won  in  a  'common  canter' 
by  Mr.  Mostyn's  br.  f.  Queen  of  Trumps,  who  beat 
nine  competitors.  She  was  ridden  by  T,  Lye.  There 
were  ninety-eight  subscribers  to  the  race.     Mr.  Grc- 


300  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

ville's  Preserve,  winner  of  the  One  Thousand,  started 
favourite.  With  odds  of  6  to  4  betted  against  her, 
Queen  of  Trumps  won  the  race  for  the  St.  Leger  at 
Doncaster. 

PubUc  interest  in  the  Derby  began  to  grow  more 
intense  about  the  middle  of  the  '  thirties,'  when  the 
^g3g  entries   began  to  grow  and  multipl}''  till 

BayMiddieton.  the  year  (1868)  Blue  Gown  credited  Sir 
Joseph  Hawley  with  the  stakes  accruing  from  262 
entries  and  eighteen  runners.  Only  once  since  Blue 
Gown's  3^ear  has  a  larger  number  of  horses  been 
entered,  and  that  was  when  Sir  Bevys  won  from 
twenty-two  competitors,  the  number  entered  being 
278.  The  value  of  the  stakes  depends  chiefly  on  the 
number  of  horses  entered,  and  in  a  lesser  degree  on 
the  number  that  run.  The  amount  won  by  the 
victory  of  Sir  Bevys  in  1879  was  the  largest  that  has 
ever  fallen  to  the  owner  of  a  Derby  winner.  The 
greatest  number  of  horses  that  ever  ran  for  the  race 
was  in  1862,  when  Caractacus  carried  off  the  stakes, 
beating  thirty-three  competitors.  As  has  been  in- 
dicated, no  great  amount  of  interest  was  excited  by 
the  Derby  in  the  earlier  j^ears  of  its  existence,  nor 
was  much  written  about  it  in  the  newspapers  of  that 
time.  In  1886  the  number  of  horses  nominated  was, 
as  in  the  preceding  year,  128,  and  of  these  twenty-one 
came  to  the  starting-post  on  May  19th.  Although  as 
many  as  five  of  the  horses  might  have  been  placed, 
only  two  were  so  honoured.     These  were  : 

Lord  Jersey's  b.  c.  Bay  Middleton,  brother  to  Nell  Gwynne. 
by  Sultan  out  of  Cobweb        -         -         -         -         -         -  1 

Lord  Wilson's  ch.  c.  Gladiator,  by  Partisan  out  of  Pauline     -  2 


A  CHRONICLE  OF  THE  DERBY.  301 

ridden  respectively  by  J.  Robinson  and  W.  Scott. 
Mr.  J.  Day's  Venison  came  in  third,  Colonel  Peel's 
Slane  and  Lord  Chesterfield's  Alfred  being  fourth  and 
fifth  respectively.  The  Colonel  and  Lord  Chesterfield 
had  each  another  colt  in  the  race.  The  Dukes  of 
Beaufort  and  Richmond  also  supplied  competitors,  as 
did  also  Lords  Egremont,  Exeter,  and  Lichfield.  Bay 
]\Iiddleton  ran  home  a  gallant  winner  by  two  lengths, 
and  as  winner  of  the  Two  Thousand  was  elected 
favourite  with  odds  of  7  to  4  betted  against  him. 
Lord  George  Bentinck  became  the  purchaser  of  the 
winner,  paying  for  him  a  sum  of  4,000  guineas.  Value 
of  the  stakes,  3,725  sovereigns. 

Steered  to  victory  by  W.  Scott,  Mr.  J.  Scott's 
Cyprian,  by  Partisan  out  of  Frailty,  by  Filho  da  Puta, 
won  the  Oaks,  beating  eleven  competitors,  there  being 
ninety-eight  subscribers.  Mr.  Houldsworth's  Destiny, 
winner  of  the  One  Thousand,  came  in  second.  Odds  of 
2  to  1  were  offered  against  Cyprian  at  the  start.  '  It 
was  a  beautiful  race  at  the  close,  Scott  by  dint  of 
punishment  landing  his  mare  first  by  half  a  length.' 

That  not  much  was  thought  of  the  chance  of  Phos- 
phorus for  Derby  honours  is  evidenced  by  the  price  of 
is.-jT.  the  horse  in  the  betting,  namely,  the  odds 
Pho.piion.s.  Qf  4Q  J.Q  1  against  him  at  the  start,  the 
favourite  being  a  horse  belonging  to  the  Duke  of  Rut- 
land, called  Rat  Trap.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  Lord 
Berners'  colt  was  a  dark  horse,  although  the  poet 
who  initiated  the  system  of  tips  in  verse  went  for  him  : 

*  'Tis  over  ;  the  trick  for  the  thousands  is  done  ; 
George  Edwards  on  Phosphorus  the  Derby  has  won,' 


302  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

\  But  the  '  knowing  '  turf  men  of  1837  asserted  that  tho 

J  odds  were  all  Lombard  Street  to  an  orange  against 

him.     And   yet   he  won  the  race,  his  jockey   being 
the    G,    Edwards    of    the   rhyme,    Avho    beat   Pavis, 
Conolly,  W.  Scott,  J.  Day,  S.  Chifney   and   all   the 
/  other  jockeys  who  took  part  in  the  race.     Finding, 

/  the  night  before  the  Derby,  that  the  horse  was  lame, 

his  trainer  went  to  his  owner  to  know  what  was  to 
be  done ;  the  orders  given  were  laconic,  but  to  the 
point :  *  Run — I  always  run.'  Only  two  of  the  seven- 
teen horses  which  composed  the  field  seem  to  have 
attracted  the  attention  of  the  judge.     These  were  : 

Lord    Berners'   b.   c.   Phosphorup,   by   Lamplighter  out   of 
Cameron's  dam         ......--1 

Lord  Suffield's  br.  c.  Caravan,  by  Camel  out  of  Wings   -        -  2 

/  Three  of  the  other  runners  were  each  named  as  being 

third,  two  of  which  were  in  the  ownership  of  Lord 
Exeter ;  these  were  Hibiscus  and  Dardanelles  ;  Mr. 
Osbaldes"':on's  Mahomedan  was  the  other  claimant  for 
place  honours.  Still  another  horse  was  supplied  by 
i.ord  Exeter  in  Troilus,  by  Priam,  out  of  Green 
Mantle.  One  of  the  animals  which  helped  to  swell 
the  field,  Pegasus,  by  Shakespeare  out  of  Isabella, 
was  ridden  by  a  bootmaker  of  the  name  of  Barclay, 
who,  for  a  non-professional,  made  a  reasonable  figure 
up  to  a  <;evtain  point.  At  the  third  trial  a  good  start 
was  effected,  and  after  '  the  usual  ups  and  downs,' 
Phosphcrus  landed  the  race  in  the  last  three  or  four 
strides,  the  struggle  at  the  conclusion  being  quite 
equal  in  interest  and  severity  to  that  witnessed  between 
Mundio-  and  Ascot  in  the  race  of  1835.  There 
were  nominated  for   this  year's  'Blue  Ribbon'  131 


A  CHRONICLE  OF  THE  DERBY.  303 

liorses,  and  the  value  of  the  stakes  would  be  3,700 
sovereigns. 

Ninety-two  fillies  were  nominated  for  the  Oaks  of 
1837,  of  which  thirteen  faced  the  starter.  The  winner 
was  found  in  Miss  Letty,  by  Priam  out  of  Miss  Fanny's 
dam,  ridden  by  John  Holms,  and  nominated  by  Mr. 
Powlett,  the  winner  of  the  One  Thousand,  Chateau 
d'E«pague,  mounted  by  John  Da}'',  being  second ; 
Lord  Exeter,  who  ran  two  of  his  fillies  in  the  race, 
being  awarded  third  honours.  Chateau  d'Espagne 
was  made  favourite  in  the  betting,  with  odds  of  2  to  1 
offered  against  her ;  the  odds  against  the  winner  at  the 
start  were  7  to  1,  and  she  won  easi^.y  by  a  length, 
which,  had  her  rider  pleased,  might  have  easily  been 
increased.  The  filly  was  not  named  till  she  had  been 
placed  on  the  roll  of  Oaks  winners. 

The  grave  of  Amato,   the   *  coughing  pony,'   who 

won  the  Derby  of  1838,  is  still  to  be  seen  by  those 

1838.         who  pass  through  the  Durdans  on  their 

Amato.        ^^,^^,  J.Q  ^i^g  Yi\\\,     It  was  a  victory  of  local 

importance  ;  the  horse  was  the  property  of  Sir  Gilbert 
Heathcote,  and  had  been  trained  at  Epsom  by 
Ralph  Sherrard,  who  died  at  the  patriarchal  age  of 
eighty-nine  years.  Amato  was,  in  turf  parlance,  a 
'dark  horse'  that,  previous  to  winning  the  Derby, 
had  never  appeared  in  public,  and  only  ran  one 
race — that  being  the  Derby— so  that  Amato  may 
be  described  as  a  'single  speech  Hamilton'  among 
race-horses  !  Sir  Gilbert,  who  was  not  a  bettinsf  man, 
running  his  horses  for  honour  and  stakes  only,  was 
much  complimented  on  his  rather  unexpected  victory. 


;3o4  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

A  deputation  from  the  town  of  Epsom  waited  on 
liim  at  the  Durdans,  and  in  reply  to  their  congratu- 
lations Sir  Gilbert  said  that  he  looked  upon  their 
good  opinions  thus  expressed  as  equal  to  winning  the 
race  itself  As  has  been  stated,  Sir  Gilbert  never 
betted,  and  the  claims  of  Amato  to  Derby  honours 
were  not  recognised  till  about  the  middle  of  April, 
and  then  100  to  1  was  oft'ored  against  '  the  pony,'  as 
some  called  the  horse,  which,  however,  stood  \h\ 
hands  high.  The  price  of  the  winner  at  the  start 
may  be  put  down  as  being  100  to  3,  and  several 
residents  of  Epsom,  from  seeing  the  horse  in  training, 
backed  him  to  win  them  a  little  money,  and  so 
profited  by  the  result. 

The  following  list  of  the  placed  horses  and  other 
starters  of  Amato's  year,  as  also  the  description  of  the 
race,  is  taken  from  a  newspaper  of  the  period: 

Sir  G.  Heathcote's  Amato,  by  Velocipede  out  of  Jane  Shore 

(Chappie)  .._-..-_...  1 
Culonel  Peel's  Ion,  by  Cain  out  of  Margaret  (Pavis)  -  -  2 
Lord  G.  Bentinck's  Grey  Momus,  by  Comus  (S.  Day)  -         -  3 

Mr,  H.  Combe's  Cobham,  Lord  Jersey's  Phoenix,  Mr. 
Payne's  Young  Rowton,  Captain  Berkeley's  Bullion, 
Mr.  Tarlton's  Blaise,  Sir  J.  Mill's  Volunteer,  Lord 
Chesterfield's  Bretby,  Lord  Westmoreland's  Albe- 
marle, Mr.  E.  Peel's  Early  Bird,  Duke  of  Grafton's 
Chemist,  Mr.  Forth's  Conservator,  Mr.  Stirling's  Miss 
Manager  colt.  Lord  George  Bentinck's  D'Egville,  Mr. 
Worral's  Dormouse,  Mr.  Buckley's  Tom,  Mr.  Edward's 
Drum  Major,  General  Grosvenor's  D*dalus,  Mr. 
Bend's  Scurry  colt,  Mr.  Pettitt's  Surprise  colt,  Sir 
James  Boswell's  Constantine. 


A  CHRONICLE  OF  THE  DERBY.  305 

Betting :  2  to  1  Grey  Momus,  7  to  2  Cobham,  7  to 
1  Phoenix,  8  to  1  D'Egville.  13  to  1  Young  Eovvton, 
25  to  1  Early  Bird.  30  to  1  Amato,  1,000  to  15 
"Bretby,  1,000  to  15  Dadalus,  Constantine,  and  the 
Scurry  colt  jointly. 

'  The  race  was  appointed  to  be  rim  at  two  o'clock, 
but,  what  with  delay  amongst  the  jockeys  and  two  or 
three  false  starts,  the  clock  had  struck  three  before 
the  horses  were  off.  Even  then  the  start  was  so 
unsatisfactory  that  several  half  stopped  their  horses. 
Young  Rowton  was  pulled  up  after  running  to  the 
first  post,  and  the  Surprise  colt  was  left  behind 
altogether.  It  is  strange  that  this  bungling  work 
occurs  only  at  Epsom.  Finding  that  the  flag  was 
down,  Bretby  went  away  at  a  very  good  pace,  followed 
by  Amato,  Grey  Momus,  and  Tom,  with  Phoenix,  Ion, 
Conservator,  Daedalus,  D'Egville,  and  Cobham  well  u•^), 
the  latter  lying  inside.  Albemarle,  who  had  a  bad 
start,  soon  joined  this  lot.  They  observed  this  order 
up  the  hill,  at  the  top  of  which  Bretby  declined  and 
fell  into  the  rear.  The  Grey  then  took  the  lead, 
which  he  kept  to  the  turn.  Phoenix,  who  had  run 
well  to  this  point,  tired  and  gave  up,  so  also  did 
D'Egville  ;  Constantine,  Cobham,  and  others  having 
shut  up  long  before.  On  making  the  turn,  Amato 
shot  by  the  Grey,  and  increased  the  pace  tre- 
mendously, the  Grey  following,  Tom  still  up,  and 
Ion  just  beginning  to  emerge  from  the  ruck  of  beaten 
horses.  Amato  had  made  the  Grey  safe  directly  he 
took  up  the  running,  and  although  Ion  made  a 
des[)erate  effort  for  victory  half-way  up  the  distance, 
It  was  with  no  other  result  than  to  get  second  place. 

20 


3o6  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

The  judge  awarded  the  prize  to  the  Epsom  nag  by  a 
length,  his  advantage  over  the  Grey  being  four  times 
as  great.' 

The  best  daim  to  notice  Avhich  the  Derby  of  1838 
can  put  forth  is  the  fact  of  the  pubhc  being,  for  the 
first  time,  carried  to  Epsom  by  railway  in  that  year. 
The  accommodation  provided  at  Nine  Elms  was 
ntterly  inadequate  to  the  numbers  who  desired  to  be 
taken  to  Epsom,  and  the  arrangements  resulted  in  a 
partial  breakdown;  the  immense  crowd  who  assembled 
at  the  station,  impatient  to  reach  the  scene  of  action, 
carried  the  place  by  storm,  and  impeded  the  officials. 
Not  till  a  large  body  of  police,  who  had  been  sent  for 
by  the  authorities,  came  on  the  scene  could  order 
be  restored,  or  the  station  be  cleared  of  persons  who 
insisted  upon  being  taken  by  the  railway  to  see  the 
Derby.  At  twelve  o'clock  the  carriage  resources  of 
the  company  were  exhausted,  and  a  notice  was  at 
once  issued  to  the  effect  that  '  no  more  trains  will 
start  this  morning.'  Hundreds  were,  of  course, 
terribly  disappointed  at  the  breakdown,  and  had  no 
alternative  but  to  revert  to  the  old  modes  of  con- 
veyance by  carriage  of  some  kind,  at  a  cost  of  from 
three  shillings  to  five  shillings  each.  The  value  of 
the  stakes  in  1888  was  4  005   soverei^rns.     The  race 

O 

was  run  on  a  Wednesday. 

The  Oaks  of  the  j-ear  fell  to  the  share  of  Lord 
Chesterfield  by  the  victory  of  his  br.  f  Industry,  which 
was  ridden  by  W.  Scott.  Out  of  the  ninety-seven 
fillies  nominated,  fifteen  came  to  the  post.  In  addi- 
tion to  the  winner.  Lord  Chesterfield  and  Lord  Exeter 
was    doubly    represented.      The    Duke    of    Gral'ton, 


A  CHRONICLE  OF  THE  DERBY.  ^p-j 

Colonel  Peel,  and  other  sportsmen  also  contributed  to 
the  tield.  The  second  filly  was  made  favourite,  Lord 
Suffield's  Calisto,  against  which  odds  of  5  to  2  were 
betted. 

'  The  Derbys '  about  this  time,  for  several  years 
'  fore  and  aft,^  presented  no  aspect  of  novelty,  being, 
1839.  as  a  rule,  common-place  races.  Notwith- 
Bioomsbury.  withstanding  that  fact,  the  general  body  of 
the  public,  whatever  may  have  been  felt  by  sports- 
men, did  not  abate  their  interest  in  tlie  struggle  one 
jot.  Each  year  the  crowd  of  spectators  seemed  to 
wax  greater,  the  road  and  the  rail  being  more  thronged 
than  on  previous  Derb}^  Days  The  betting,  too, 
increased,  both  in  the  amount  of  the  bets  and  the 
number  of  bettors.  '  Sweeps '  grew  in  popularity,  and 
became  a  feature  of  nearly  every  public-house  parlour 
throughout  London,  as  also  in  large  shops  and  ware- 
houses, whilst  in  the  Great  Metropolis  the  inhabitants 
appeared  eager  to  seize  the  occasion  of  the  mighty 
contest  in  order  to  obtain  a  holiday.  Bloomsbury's 
year  may  be  described  as  a  somewhat  memorable  one, 
frimi  the  fact  of  the  race  having  been  run  during 
a  snowstorm,  and  also  because  of  an  objection  which 
was  lodged  against  the  winner  by  Mr.  Fulwar  Craven, 
owner  of  Deco[)tion,  which,  although  she  only  obtained 
second  place  in  the  Derby,  recompensed  her  owner  by 
winning  the  Oaks  on  the  following  Friday.  Llooms- 
bury,  Vv'hich  started  at  the  very  handsome  odds  of  30 
to  1  against  it,  was  what  is  called,  in  the  slang  of  the 
turf,  a  '  dark  horse  ;'  in  other  words,  it  had  never  pre- 
viously run  in  a  race.     The  reason  why  an  objection 

20-2 


3oS  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

was  taken  to  the  winner  was  that  the  '  Calendar '  and 
'  Stud-Book  '  differed  as  to  his  pedigree,  the  'Calen- 
dar's '  description  being  by  Mulatto,  whilst  the  *  Stud- 
Book  '  gave  it  as  by  Tramp  or  Mulatto.  T!ie  objection 
was  overruled  by  the  Stewards  of  Epsom  Races.  Mr. 
Craven  was  not  satisfied,  and,  being  determined  to  go 
to  law  about  the  matter,  gave  notice  to  the  stake- 
holders not  to  pay  the  stakes  to  Mr.  Ridsdale.  There 
was  great  confusion  in  consequence  among  backers 
and  layers,  but,  to  raalce  a  long  story  short,  when  the 
cause  at  length  came  to  trial,  the  verdict  was  in 
agreement  with  that  of  the  stewards.  In  writing  of 
the  race  and  its  troubles,  a  critic  of  the  event  said  of 
Bloomsbury  :  '  He  was  a  most  fortunate  horse,  though 
almost  unfortunate  to  his  owners  and  backers.  He 
won  the  Derby  and  a  lawsuit ;  he  caused  the  non- 
settlement  of  a  settlement ;  he  embroiled  Lords  and 
Commons,  enriched  poor  men,  impoverished  wealth, 
and  made  all  the  world  stare  when  their  eyes  were 
opened.'  Although  only  two  of  the  twenty-one  runners 
were  placed,  those  who  saw  the  race  had  no  difhculty 
in  spotting  the  animals  which  came  in  third  and 
fourth,  namely,  Mr.  Thornhill's  Euclid  and  Colonel 
Peel's  Dey  of  Algiers.     The  first  and  second  were  : 

Mr.  W.  Ridsdale's  b.  c.  Bloomsbury,  by  Mulatto    -         -         -  1 
Mr.    Fulwar   Craven's    b.  f.   Deception,   by  Defence   out   of 
Lady  Stumps  -         ..-         -         .         -         .         .         -2 

The  respective  jockeys  were  S.  Templeman  and 
Trenn.  Lord  Jersey  ran  two  of  his ;  Lords  West- 
minster, Exeter,  and  Albemarle  also  contributed  to 
the  field.  Lord  Lichfield's  Corsair,  winner  of  the 
Two  Thousand,  also  faced  the  starter.  Long  descriptions 


A  CHRONICLE  OF  THE  DERBY.  309 

of  the  race  have  been  pubhshed,  but  Bloomsbury  beat 
Deception  cleverly  by  two  lengths.  Lord  Westminster's 
Sleight-of-Hand  was  favourite  in  the  betting,  with 
odds  of  9  to  2  betted  against  him  ;  the  odds  offered 
against  the  winner  have  already  been  stated,  oQ  to  1. 
Value  of  the  stakes,  4,100  sovereigns. 

Deception,  second  in  the  Derby,  won  the  Oaks  in  a 
canter,  without  ever  having  been  headed.  J.  Day 
was  the  fortunate  jockey.  There  were  ninety-six 
subscribers,  and  thirteen  fillies  came  to  the  post. 
Betting  :  6  to  4  on  Deception. 

The  appearance  at  Epsom  of  the  Queen  and  Prince 
Albert  was  the  feature  of  this  year's  Derby,  which  was 
1840  ^^^^  ^y  -^^^^  Robertson's  horse  called  Little 
Little  Wonder.  Wonder.  Out  of  the  144  colts  nomi- 
nated, seventeen  started  for  the  race,  but  only  two  of 
the  number  were  placed  by  the  judge.     These  were  : 

Little  Wonder,  by  Muley  out  of  Lacerta,  bv  Zodiac  -  -  1 
Lord  Westminster's  Launcelot,  brother  to  Touchstone  -        -  2 

The  horseman  who  rode  the  winner  was  William  Mac- 
donald,  who  was  presented  with  an  elegant  riding-whip 
by  Prince  Albert.  The  rider  of  Launcelot  was  W.  Scott, 
who  afterwards  Avon  the  St.  Leger  on  the  same  animal. 
Most  of  the  celebrated  jockeys  of  tlie  period  had  mounts 
in  the  Derby  of  1840— Rogers,  Flatman,  J.  Day,  jun. ; 
Robinson,  Buckle,  and  others.  Forth  rode  his  own 
horse,  a  brown  colt  by  Muley  out  of  Solace.  Among 
the  horses  which  ran  were  a  colt  by  Mulatto  out  of 
j\[elody,  which  might  have  been  placed  third  ;  the 
Duke  of  Cleveland  and  Lord  Exeter  had  each  two  in 


3!o     THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

the  race.  The  colts  of  Lords  Albemarle,  Kelbiirne, 
Orford,  and  Jersey,  also  helped  to  swell  the  field.  Mr. 
Houldsworth  and  Sir  G.  Heathcote  also  supplied 
runners.  The  start  was  somewhat  protracted  by  a 
break-away,  but  in  the  end  Little  Wonder  came  in 
victorious  by  fully  half  a  length.  The  value  of  the 
stakes,  after  making  the  usual  deductions,  was  £3,775. 
The  winner's  figure  in  the  betting  was  20  to  1,  the 
favourite  being  Launcelot  at  odds  of  9  to  4  against. 

Lord  George  Bentinck's  celebrated  filly  Crucifix,  the 
winner  of  the  Two  Thousand  Guineas,  ridden  by  John 
Day,  sen.,  won  the  Oaks,  beating  a  field  of  fifteen  ;  Mr. 
Payne's  Welfare  was  second,  her  rider  being  Nat  Flat- 
man  ;  a  filly  named  Teleta  was  third.  Lord  George 
also  ran  his  filly  by  Glencoe  out  of  Victoria,  with  odds 
of  5  to  4  laid  on  her.  The  same  filly,  ridden  by  his 
Derby  jockey,  won  the  Oaks  in  a  field  Avhich  numbered 
thirteen.  There  were  130  subscribers  to  that  year's 
race. 

In  the  big  field  (the  largest  ever  yet  seen  for  the 
Derby)  of  twentj'-nine  horses — the  entries  numbered 
jg.^j  154 — the  recipient  of  the  'Blue  Ribbon'  in 
Coronation.  J 34]^  ^yas  Mr.'Rawliuson,  who  won  the  race 
by  the  aid  of  his  br.  c.  Coronation,  which  was  ridden 
by  P.  Conolly.  Two  only  out  of  the  field  were  placed 
—  namely : 

Coronation,  by  Sir  Hercules  out  of  Ruby  -  -  -  -  1 
Lord  Westminster's  b.  c.  Van  Amburgh  -        -        -        -  2 

As  will  be  seen.  Lord  Westminster  was  again  second. 
He  ran  two  in  the  race,  and  made  a  declaration  to  win 
with  Marshal   Soult,  which  was  beaten  early  in  the 


A  CHRONICLE  OF  THE  DERBY.  311 

struggle.  The  weighing-out  of  the  jockeys  for  this 
Derby,  we  read,  was  completed  by  two  o'clock,  but  in 
consequence  of  six  or  seven  false  starts  it  was  nearly 
four  o'clock  before  the  starter  was  able  to  set  the  lot 
away  on  equitable  terms.  The  race  Avas  won  easily  by 
Coronation  ;  '  by  three  lengths  '  was  the  verdict  of  the 
man  in  authorit}^  No  favourite  had  won  since  the 
victory  of  Bay  Middleton  in  1836.  The  odds  offered 
against  the  winner  were  5  to  2 ;  the  price  of  Van 
Amburgh  was  12  to  1.  Ralph,  winner  of  the  Two 
Thousand,  was  second  favourite  at  5  to  1.  In  addition 
to  the  stake,  valued  at  £4,275,  Mr.  Rawlinson  won 
£8,000  in  bets.  Mr.  Isaac  Day,  who  had  partial 
charge  of  the  horse,  was  by  far  the  largest  winner 
over  the  race.  The  Duke  of  Rutland,  as  also  Lords 
Jersey,'  Albemarle,  Exeter,  and  Orford,  contributed 
colts  to  the  field  of  runners. 

Lord  Westminster  was  more  fortunate  in  the  Oaks, 
which  he  won  by  the  aid  of  Ghuznee,  ridden  by  W. 
Scott.  His  lordship  also  supplied  a  runner  in  Lam- 
poon. As  in  the  Derby,  the  judge  seems  only  to  have 
placed  two.  Miss  Stilton  was  second  in  a  good  field 
of  twenty-two. 

Of  the  182  horses  nominated  for  the  Derby  of  1842, 
.there   came   to   the   starting-post   twenty- four.    Lord  " 
1842.       Westminster  again  trying  his  luck  by  run- 

Attiia.      nii^g   two   of  his   colts,   neither  of  which    * 
succeeded  in  attracting  the  attention  of  the  judge. 
Only  two  of  the  lot  were  placed ;  these  were  : 

Colonel  Anson's  b.  or  br.  Attila,  by  Colwick  out  of  Progress  1 
Lord  Verulam's  br.  c,  Robert  De  Gorham       -         -         -         -  2 


312  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

W.  Scott  and  W.  Cotton  being  the  respective  jockej'S. 
Mr.  Allen's  b.  c.  Bc^crour,  ridden  by  J.  Marson,  might 
have  been  placed  third,  which  was  the  position  of  the 
horse  at  the  close  of  the  race.  Attila  Avon  with  the 
most  perfect  ease  imaginable  by  two  lengths.  The 
price  against  the  winner  at  the  start  Avas  5  to  1. 
Coldrenick,  the  favourite,  was  backed  at  6  to  4,  but 
made  no  great  shoAv  in  the  struggle,  contrary  to  the 
expectations  entertained  by  his  backers.  The  value 
of  the  stakes  is  set  down  as  being  £4.900.  Lords 
George  Bentinck  and  Chesterfield  also  supplied  run- 
ners. Mr.  Forth  contributed  two  colts  to  the  number 
of  starters,  and  Mr.  Meiklam,  General  Yates,  Mr. 
Osbaldeston,  and  Colonel  Wyndham  also  ran  colts. 

The  Oaks  of  the  period,  for  which  there  were  117 
subscribers  and  sixteen  runners,  was  secured  by  Mr. 
G,  Dawson,  jun.'s  ch.  f.  Our  Nell,  ridden  by  T.  Lye ; 
Meal,  by  Bran  out  of  Tintoretto,  the  property  of  Mr. 
Shackle,  was  second.  The  race  was  won  cleverly  by 
a  length.  Fillies  of  the  Dukes  of  Richmond  and 
Grafton  helped  to  swell  the  field.  Lords  George 
Bentinck,  Chesterfield,  Exeter,  and  Jersey,  were  also 
represented  in  the  race. 

Twenty-three  of  the  156  colts  which  had  been 
nominated  ran  in  this  year's  Derby,  victory  fall- 
jg^o  ing  to  Mr.  Bowes  by  the  aid  of  Cother- 
CotLeistone.  stouc,  Avhich  had  previously  won  the  Two 
Thousand.  Strong  steps  Avere  taken  b}''  the  stewprds 
to  put  a  stop  to  the  system  of  false  starts  by  issuing  a 
peremptory  notice  to  the  jockeys,  Avhich  seemed  to 
have  the  necessary  effect,  an  admirable  start  being 


A  CHRONICLE  OF  THE  DERBY.  313 

effected  for  once.  Cotherstone,  ridden  by  W.  Scott, 
won  in  a  common  canter  b}'  two  lengths.  As  seems 
to  have  been  a  rule  at  this  time,  two  horses  only  were 
again  placed  by  the  judge: 

Cotherstone,  by  Touchstone  out  of  Emma,  bj-  Whisker  -  1 

Colonel  Charritie's  b.  c.  Gorhambury,  by  Buzzard  -         -         -  2 

F.  Buckle  had  the  mount  on  the  latter,  and  Rogers, 
Flatman,  Marlow,  S.  Chifney,  and  other  famous  horse- 
men of  the  time  took  part  in  the  struggle.  Lord  G. 
Bentinck's  Gaper,  which  started  second  favourite,  and 
from  which  so  much  was  expected,  continued  to  lead 
a  few  strides  over  the  road,  and  then,  quite  beaten,  fell 
behind ;  a  brown  colt  named  Dinkol,  the  property  of 
Sir  G.  Hcathcote,  was  third.  Value  of  the  stakes, 
£4,225.  The  notice  issued  to  the  jockeys  was  as 
follows  :  '  No  false  start  will  be  allowed.  Every  jockey 
attempting  to  go  before  the  starter  has  given  the  word 
will  be  considered  as  taking  an  unfair  advantaj:e  under 
Rule  57,  and  fined  accordingly.' 

The  Oaks  was  won  by  Mr.  Ford's  ch.  f.  Poison,  by 
Plenipotentiary  out  of  Arsenic,  F.  Butler  being  the 
successful  jockey;  Extempore,  winner  of  the  One 
Thousand,  was  second.  There  were  ninety-six  nomi- 
nations, out  of  which  twenty-three  faced  the  starter. 

It  would  not  be  difficult  to  indite  a  very  long  yarn 

about    this   year's   Derby,  for   which  a  horse  called 

1841        Running  Rein  had  been  entered  by  a  Mr. 

Orlando.  Wood.  This  colt,  Avhich  came  in  first  for 
the  race,  did  not,  however,  obtain  the  stakes,  nor  did 
persons  who  had  backed  it  to  wan  obtain  payment  of 


314  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

their  bets.  Althougli  the  horse  was  allowed  to  start 
for  the  Derby,  it  was  well  enough  known  by  all 
interested  that  in  the  event  of  its  winning  it  would  be 
objected  to,  and  there  was  great  excitement  in  conse- 
quence. As  soon  as  the  judge  had  given  his  decision, 
Colonel  Peel  claimed  the  stakes,  and  as  legal  proceed- 
ings were  to  be  taken  for  the  recovery  of  the  money,  it 
was  at  once  paid  into  the  Court  of  Exchequer  by 
Messrs.  Weatherby,  who  acted  as  stake-holders.  In 
that  court  the  trial  took  place,  when  it  was  proved 
that  the  animal  which  was  started  as  a  three-year-old, 
in  compliance  with  the  conditions  of  the  Derby,  was 
in  reality  Maccabeus,  and  was  four  years  of  age.  A 
verdict  in  accordance  with  the  evidence  gave  the  race 
to  Orlando,  and  the  stakes  raced  for  to  his  owner. 
Colonel  Peel,  who  was  warmly  congratulated  on  his 
success,  as  was  also  Lord  George  Jientinck,  who  had 
played  an  active  part  in  exposing  the  plot.  Another 
colt  wliich  ran  in  the  Derby  of  1844  was  Leander, 
which,  had  it  won,  would  not  have  been  awarded 
Derby  honours — seeing  that  it,  also,  would  have  been 
i:)roved  to  be  a  four-year-old — but  no  difficulty  arose, 
as,  in  running,  Leander  fell  and,  breaking  his  leg, 
required  to  be  destroyed.  This  year  Colonel  Peel  ran 
first  and  second  (ignoring  the  performance  of  Running 
Rein),  Orlando  beating  Ionian  by  two  lengths,  Bay 
Momus  being  close  up.  There  Avere  twenty-nine 
runners,  including  the  impostor,  and  the  placings  of 
the  judge  were  as  follows  : 

Colonel  Peel's  b.  c.  Orlando,  by  Touchstone  out  of  Vulture  -  1 
Colonel  Peel's  b.  c.  Ionian,  by  Ion  out  of  Malibran  -  -  2 
Colonel  Anson's  b.  c.  Bay  Momus,  by  Bay  Middle  ton    -        -  3 


A  CHRONICLE  OF  THE  DERBY.  315 

The  respective  jockeys  were  J.  Day,  jun.,  on  Orlando, 
G.  Edwards  and  F.  Butler  ridins-  second  and  third. 
Mr.  J.  Day,  Mr.  J.  Osborn,  and  Mr.  Forth  also  supplied 
candidates.  Sir  Gilbert  Heathcote  ran  two  of  his 
colts,  Akbar  and  Campanero.  Mr.  Bowes  supplied 
a  competitor  in  T'auld  Squire;  Lords  Glasgow  and 
Westminster  were  also  represented  in  the  race.  Mr. 
J.  Day's  horse.  The  Ugly  Buck,  winner  of  the  Two 
Thousand,  was  favourite  with  odds  of  5  to  2  laid 
a:iainst  it;  10  to  1  against  Running  Rein,  14  to  1 
Leander,  and  20  to  1  Orlando.  The  subscribers  to  the 
Derby  of  18 i4  numbered  153,  and  the  value  of  the 
stakes  would  be  £4,450. 

Out  of  117  horses  nominated  for  the  Oaks,  twenty- 
live  came  to  the  starting-post.  The  race  was  won  by 
F.  Butler  on  Colonel  Anson's  ch.  f.  The  Princess, 
Lord  Exeter's  Merope  being  second,  and  Mr.  Gregory's 
bl.  f.  Barricade  third.  Won  by  two  lengths— 5  to  1 
against  the  winner.  Curiously  enough,  Julia,  one  of. 
the  runners,  started  by  the  owner  of  Leander,  was 
found  on  examination  to  be  a  four-year-old. 

Of     the     137     subscribers     in     Merry 
Merry  Mon-  Mouarch's    year,   thirty-two   came    to   the 
post,  four  of  which  were  distinguished  by 
the  judge ;  these  were  : 

Mr.  Gratwicke's  b.  c.  The  Merry  Monarch,  by  Slane  -  -  1 

Mr.  A.  Johnstone's  br.  c.  Annandale,  by  Touclistono  -  -  2 

Mr.  Gully's  b.  c.  Old  England,  by  Mulatto      -         .  -  .  ;} 

Mr.  Mostyn's  br.  c.  Pantassa,  by  Picaroon      -        -  -  -  4 

The  respective  horsemen  were  F.  Bell,  Marson, 
S.  Day,  and  Marlow.     The  owner  of  the  winning  horse 


3i6  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

also  ran  his  b.  c.  Doleful,  by  Slane,  which  ran  we!l. 
Wood-Pigeon,  the  propert}^  of  Lord  Exeter,  made  like- 
wise a  creditable  show  in  the  race ;  Mr.  Gully's 
Weatherbit  also  put  in  an  appearance.  Lord  Strad- 
broke  was  represented  by  Idas,  which  had  won  the 
Two  Thousand.  Lords  Chesterfield,  Verulam,  and 
Glasgow  also  contributed  to  the  strength  of  the  field, 
as  did  also  the  Duke  of  Richmond.  Colonel  Peel,  Mr. 
Greville,  and  Mr.  Mytton  were  also  represented  in  the 
race.  Idas  was  made  favourite  with  odds  of  3  to  1 
offered  against  it,  7  to  2  was  laid  against  Weatherbit, 
15  to  1  against  Forth's  lot.  '  Won  by  a  length,'  but 
the  struggle  was  not  without  incident :  Alarm  kicked 
Libel  and  ran  away,  but  Avas  captured  and  remounted. 
In  the  race  Pam  fell,  about  the  bend  of  the  course, 
and  Old  England  and  Weatherbit  jumped  over  him. 
The  horse  Avas  much  injured;  not  so  his  rider,  who 
had  the  good  sense  to  lie  still.  Value  of  the  stakes, 
£4,225. 

The  Oaks  was  secure.l  for  the  Duke  of  Richmond 
by  the  aid  of  his  br.  f.  Refraction,  ridden  by  H. 
Bell.  Mr,  Bennett's  ch.  f.  Hope  was  placed  second, 
and  Major  Tarburgh's  Miss  Sarah  third.  The  verdict 
of  the  judge  was,  '  Won  easily  by  two  lengths.'  A  filly 
called  Queen  of  Cyprus  was  not  allowed  to  start,  being 
declared  by  Messrs.  Bartlott,  the  veterinary  surgeons, 
to  be  a  four-year-old ;  on  being  examined  by  other 
vets.,  she  was  declared  to  be  a  three-year-old.  There 
were  128  subscribers  to  the  Oaks,  twenty-one  of  which 
came  to  the  starting-post.  The  odds  laid  against  the 
winner  were  25  to  1,  Lancashire  Witch  being  favourite 
at  7  to  2  against  her  chance. 


A  CHRONICLE  OF  THE  DERBY.  317 

Mr,  Gully's  ch.  c.  Pynliiis  the  First  was  destined 
to  be  the  hero  of  this  year's  Derby,  for 

1846 

Pyrrbus  the  Avhicli    193  Subscribers   had   entered,   the 
^^^*'       field  numbering  twenty-seven  horses,  three 
of  which,  as  is  the  general  rule,  were  placed  by  the 
judge,  namely : 

Mr.  Gully's  cb.  c.  Pyrrhns  the  First,  by  Epirus  -  -  -  1 
Llr.  W.  Scott's  b.  c.  Sir  Tatton  Sykes,  by  Melbourne  -  -  2 
General  Shubrick's  br.  c.  Brocardo,  by  Touchstone  -         -  ?* 

S.  Day  rode  the  winner  for  Mr.  Gully,  Scott  rode 
his  own,  and  a  jockey  named  Holmes  was  on  Brocardo. 
The  race  was  avou  by  a  neck ;  Brocardo  was  beaten  a 
length  by  Sir  Tatton,  who  had  won  the  Two  Thousand 
Guineas.  Mr.  Meiklam's  Fancy  Boy  started  favourite 
with  odds  of  5  to  1  betted  against  him ;  Pjarhiis  the 
First  was  made  second  favourite  at  8  to  1,  IG  to  1 
against  Sir  Tatton,  25  to  1  Brocardo.  Many  of  the 
sportsmen  of  the  period  ran  their  horses  in  this  year's 
Derby;  Sir  Joseph  Hawley's  Humdrum,  Mr.  Merry's 
colt  by  Don  Juan,  Mr.  Ramsey  of  Barnton's  Malcolm, 
Count  Batthyany's  Tragical,  Lord  Eglinton's  Sotades, 
and  Colonel  Anson's  lago  being  among  the  starters. 
The  amount  of  the  stakes  won  by  Gull}'^  was  £5,500. 
One  of  the  incidents  connected  with  this  year's  race 
was  the  fining  of  W.  Scott  £5  for  disobeying  orders 
and  using  improper  language.  The  Derby  now  began 
to  be  *  timed ' ;  2m.  55s.  is  set  down  for  Pyrrhus  the 
First. 

Mr.  Gully  had  the  good  fortune  to  take  the  double 
event — Derby  and  Oaks — the  latter  being  gained  by 
the  aid  of  Mendicant,  who  had  previously  won  the  One 


3i8  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

Thousand  Guineas,  S.  Day  being  again  the  successful 
horseman.  Mr.  Wyatt's  Laundry raaid  ran  second  to 
Mendicant,  one  of  Lord  Gkisgow's  unnamed  ones  being 
third.  There  were  140  fillies  entered,  twenty-four  of 
which  faced  the  starter.  Mr.  Gully's  filly  won 
easily  by  two  lengths.  The  betting  was  9  to  4 
against  the  winner,  and  12  to  1  against  Laundry- 
maid. 

Run   on    Wednesday,  RLay  19th,   the  field  for  the 

Derby   comprised   thirty-two   horses,  one   gentleman 

jg,j7        (Mr.  Mostyn)  supplying  four  of  the  runners  ; 

Cossack,  ^ix  of  the  competitors,  it  is  worth  noting, 
were  the  produce  of  Lanercost,  two  of  his  'get'  being 
placed.     The  three  named  by  the  judge  were  : 

Mr.  Pedley's  ch.  c.  Cossack,  by  Hetmau  Platoff  -  -  -  1 
Mr.  P>ouverie'f*  br.  c.  War  Engle,  by  Lanercost  -  -  -  'J 
Lord  PJglintoa's  br.  c.  Van  Tiomp  -         -         -         -         -  3 

The  winner  was  ridden  by  Templeman,  starting 
with  odds  of  5  to  1  against  him.  Conyngham,  winner 
of  the  Two  Thousand,  was  made  favourite,  his  price 
being  5  to  2,  7  to  1  Van  Tromp,  20  to  1  War  Eiigle. 
The  Duke  of  Riclimond,  Lord  Glasgow,  Mr.  Merry, 
Lord  Strathmore,  Colonel  Anson,  Mr.  Bowes,  and  other 
good  sportsmen  of  the  day,  suppl^xi  runners  to  the 
race.  The  race  was  an  easy  one  :  Cossack,  almost  at 
the  start,  \vent  to  the  front  and  was  never  headed. 
188  subscribers  ;    value  of  the  stakes,  £5,500. 

Four  were  placed  for  the  Oaks,  which  was  won  by 
Sir  Joseph  Hawley's  roan,  Miami,  the  jockey  being 
Templeman,  who  also  rode  the  winner  of  the  Derby. 
Sir  Joseph's  filly  was  followed  home  by  Mr.  Payne's 


A  CHRONICLE  OF  THE  DERBY.  319 

Clementina,  Captain  Harcourt's  Ellerdale,  and  Lord 
Exeter's  Cosachia.  Lord  Chesterfield  started  two  of 
his,  so  did  Mr.  Mostyn  ;  Sir  Joseph  Hawley  supplied 
another  runner,  and  Mr.  Merry  was  also  represented 
in  the  race,  to  which  there  were  152  subscribers  and 
twenty-three  runners.  With  odds  of  9  to  1  laid 
against  her,  Miami  won  by  a  length. 

The  favourite  won   the   Derby  of  184S,  to  Avhich 
j^j^        there  were  215  subscribers  and  seventeen 
Suiipiice.     starters.     Four  horses  were  placed  : 

Lord  Clifden's  b.  c.  Surplice,  by  Touchstone  out  of  CfuciCx  -  ] 
Mr.  Bdwcs'  b.  c.  Springy  Jack,  by  Hetnian  PlatofE  -         -  2 

IMr.  B.  Green's  bl.  c.  Shylock,  by  Siinnom       -  -         -         -  3 

Mr.  Payne's  b.  c.^Glendown,  by  Slane    -         -         -         -         -  4 

Terapleman  again  rode  the  Avinner,  F.  Butler, 
S.  Mann,  and  Flatman  having  the  ir.ounts  on  the 
second,  third,  and  fourth  horses.  No  animal  of  any 
particular  note  made  its  appearance  among  the 
starters  The  Duke  of  Rutland  and  Lords  Clifton  and 
Eglinton  were  represented  in  the  race,  as  were  also 
Mr.  J.  B.  Day  and  Mr.  T.  Parr.  '  Won  by  a  nock,'  was 
the  verdict  of  the  judge.  Betting:  evens  on  Surplice, 
4  to  1  against  Glendown,  14  to  1  Shylock,  15  to  1  Saucy 
Jack.  215  subscribers;  17  starters.  Value  of  stakes, 
£5,800. 

There  were  152  subscribers  to  the  Oaks,  and  an 
excellent  field  resulted,  twenty-six  animals  being 
placed  at  the  bidding  of  the  starter.  Mr,  Dixon's 
f.  Do  it  Again  was  made  favourite ;  but  Cymba,  the 
property  of  Mr.  S.  Hill,  ridden  by  Templeman,  won 
the  race  by  a  length,  being  follo^ved  by  Mr.  Quin's 


320  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

Attraction  and  Mr.  Foljambe's  Queen  of  the  May. 
Lord  Exeter  ran  two  of  his  ;  and  Mr.  Merry,  Baron 
Rothschild,  Colonel  Peel,  and  Sir  Joseph  Hawley  all 
supplied  competitors. 

There  were  this  year  237  subscribers  to  the  Derby, 

and  the  field  numbered  twenty-six  horses, 

The  Flying     four  of  which  Were  placed  by  the  judge, 

Dutchman.  i 

namely : 

Lord  Eglinton's  br.  c.  The  Flying  Dutnhmaa  -  -  -  1 

Mr.  Godwin's  br.  c.  Hotspur,  by  Sir  Hercules         -  -  -  2 

Colonel  Peel's  b.  c.  T.idinor,  by  Ion         -         -         -  -  -  3 

Lord  Clifden's  b.  c.  Honeycomb,  by  Bay  Middleton  -  -  4 

Lord  Eglinton  also  ran  his  c.  Elthiron,  declaring, 
however,  to  win  with  the  Dutchman,  who  was  ridden 
by  Marlow  ;  Whitehouse,  Flatman,  and  Robinson  being 
on  the  other  placed  horses.  Tadmor  and  The  Flying 
Dutchman  started  equal  favourites  in  the  betting,  at 
2  to  1  each  ;  but  the  half-bred  Hotspur  was  the  horse 
most  liked  by  the  crowd.  He  made  a  gallant  fight 
for  victory,  and  had  he  not  been  '  hashed  about '  a 
good  deal  before  reaching  the  starting-post,  he  might 
liave  won.  The  Dutchman  gained  the  verdict  of  the 
judge  by  only  'half  a  length.'  The  start,  was  a  good 
one,  but,  as  is  frequently  seen  in  great  races,  the  horses 
that  attract  attention  by  the  alacrity  with  which  they 
start  are  soon  beaten ;  Uriel,  for  instance,  which  led 
the  field  on  the  present  occasion  for  a  few  seconds, 
was  passed  by  Weston,  Chantrey,  Henry  of  Exeter, 
Elthiron,  the  stable  companion  of  the  winner,  and 
Tadmor.  Weston  in  his  turn  was  dis{ilaced  in  the 
lead  by  Vatican;  a  few  horses  followed,  and  then  came 


A  CHRONICLE  OF  THE  DERBY.  321 

the  two  animals  who  were  destined  to  fiajht  out  the 
battle — Hotspur  and  The  Dutchman — each  of  them 
running  well  within  their  powers,  their  jockeys  watch- 
ing for  good  places.  Hotspur  ran  with  great  gameness. 
and  when  Vatican  was  beaten  at  the  road,  took  his 
place  in  front  of  all  the  field.  Now  the  aspect  of  the 
race  assumed  a  different  hue  — Marlow,  on  The  Flying 
Dutchman,  cominsf  round  the  turn  almost  hugrrinij^  the 
rails,  and  lookim?  all  over  intent  on  business.  Hot- 
spur,  however,  was  at  his  side,  and  seemed  as  if  he 
Avould  prove  in  the  end  as  gallant  a  runner  as  Lord 
Eglinton's  colt.  At  this  juncture  of  the  race  Tadmor 
was  in  the  third  place  for  a  time,  but  failed  for  a  brief 
space  to  maintain  that  position,  not  being  able  to  race 
with  two  such  horses  as  the  Dutchman  and  Hotspur. 
The  latter  continued  to  stick  well  to  the  Earl's  najr, 
and  looked,  at  the  Stand,  as  if  he  would  win ;  but 
Marlow  rousing  up  The  Dutchman  by  a  smart  touch 
or  two  of  his  whip,  the  effort  proved  successful;  but  it 
was  only  by  half  a  length  that  the  '  Lord  of  the  Tour- 
nament '  held  at  Eglinton  Castle  secured  the  *  Blue 
Ribbon  of  the  Turf.'  Tadmor,  who  had  been  beaten 
for  pace,  '  came  again,'  as  the  saying  is ;  and  but  for 
having  to  go  round  Hotspur  to  obtain  an  opening,  by 
which  he  lost  three  lengths,  might  have  landed  the 
fifties  to  one  which  some  of  his  admirers  took  about 
his  chance;  as  it  Avas,  this  disappointed  horse  was 
only  half  a  length  behind  Hotspur,  so  that  the  reader 
will  see  the  contest  was  a  keen  one.  The  strusr^le  for 
this  3'ear's  Derby  lasted  for  exactly  three  minutes, 
being  twelve  seconds  more  than  the  race  of  the  pre- 
ceding year.      Uriel,   which   started   with    the   lead, 

21 


323  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

obtained  fifth  place ;  Honeycomb,  after  several  dis- 
appointments, came  on  with  a  great  show  of  speed  in 
the  end,  and  got  fourth.  The  Earl  of  Eglinton,  and 
Fobert,  of  Spigot  Lodge,  near  Middleham,  who  trained 
for  his  lordship,  were  sanguine  of  success  on  this 
occasion,  having  tried  the  Dutchman  to  be  ten  pounds 
better  than  his  stable  companion  Elthiron,  which  was 
not  a  mean  animal.  His  lordship,  not  being  a  heavy 
bettor,  only  won  £8,000  in  addition  to  tlie  stake,  and 
he  had  that  sum  at  comparatively  little  risk,  having 
obtained  good  odds.  Half  a  dozen  members  of  the 
Army  and  Navy  Club  threw  in  for  the  handsome  stake 
of  £30,000  between  them.  Some  GIas:jrow  gentlemen 
won  each  a  few  thousands,  but  there  is  no  record  of 
any  very  heavy  wagers  being  lost  or  won.  Davis,  'the 
Leviathan,'  as  he  was  called,  lost  over  £20,000  on  his 
book ;  his  sympathies  were  all  with  the  second  horse  ; 
and  if  Hotspur  had  won  that  year's  Derby,  his  bank 
account  would  have  been  swelled  to  the  tune  of  some 
£40,000.  The  Flying  Dutchman  was  in  his  time  a 
horse  of  mark  and  merit.  Up  to  the  day  on  which  ho 
was  beaten  for  the  Doncaster  Cup  by  Lord  Zetland's 
Voltigeur,  he  had  proved  victorious  in  ten  races, 
had  been  allowed  to  'walk  over'  on  four  occasions, 
and  had  placed  to  Lord  Eglin ton's  credit  a  sum  of 
£17,775. 

The  great  match  which  was  run  by  these  famous 
horses  has  taken  its  place  as  one  of  the  classic  events 
of  the  turf.  It  was  on  the  Knavesmire  at  the  York 
Spring  Meeting  of  1851  that  The  Flying  Dutchman 
and  Voltigeur  were  brought  together,  in  order  to  deter- 
mine which  was  the  better  horse.     The  pair  are  still 


A  CHRONICLE  OF  THE  DERBY.  323 

reputed  as  having  been  about  the  best  of  their  kind ; 
and  the  fact  of  their  being  '  matched  to  ri  n  a  race ' 
was  one  of  the  turf  sensations  of  the  pericd.  The 
terms  of  the  contest  were  fixed  at  £1,000,  half  forfeit, 
tvv'o  miles  over  the  old  course.  The  betting,  which 
had  been  evens  throughout,  continued  so  up  to  the 
fall  of  the  flag,  as  if  it  were  expected  the  horses  would 
run  a  dead  heat ;  but  that  event  did  not  occur,  as  after 
what  may  be  described  as  a  '  punishing  race,'  the 
Scottish  Earl's  horse  proved  the  victor  by  a  short 
lencrth.  The  stru2r""le  from  bei^innino^  to  end  was  an 
excitinof  one.  Voltigeur  started  with  a  lead  of  about 
three  lengths,  which  he  maintained  for  a  long  distance ; 
but  the  heavy  state  of  the  ground  soon  began  to  have 
its  effect,  and  when  his  jockey  (Marlow)  put  a  pertinent 
question  to  The  Dutchman,  the  horse  responded  with 
great  gameness.  The  finish  of  the  race  exhibited  a 
desperate  struggle;  but  stride  by  stride  Marlow's  horse 
came  up  on  Lord  Zetland's  fine  colt,  and  won  the 
match  amid  a  scene  of  wonderful  excitement  and 
enthusiasm.  The  value  of  the  Derby  stakes  in  The 
Dutchman's  year  was  £6,575. 

Lord  Chesterfield's  br.  f.  Lady  Ev.elyn,  ridden  by  F. 
Butler,  won  the  Oaks  by  a  length,  from  fourteen  oppo- 
nents, Mr.  B.  Green's  Lady  Superior  being  second,  and 
Mr.  Wreford's  Woodlark  third.     172  subscribers. 

Run  on  Wednesday,  May  29th,  the  Derby  honours 

of  1850  fell  to  that  excellent  sportsman,  Lord  Zetland, 

1850        whose  representative,  ridden  by  Job  Marson, 

Voitigeur.    \)Q2X    the    twenty-thrce    competitors    who 

opposed  him.     The  horses  placed  were  the  following : 

21-2 


324  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

Lord  Zetland's  br.  c.  VoUigenr,  by  Voltaire  out  of  Martha  Lyon  1 
]\fr.  H.  Hill's  Pitsford,  by  Epirus  -         -         -         -         -         -  '2 

Lord  Airlie's  br.  c.  Clincher,  by  Tuicoman     -         -         -         -  ?> 

Mr.  Gratwicke's  bl.  c.  The  Nigger 4 

There  also  ran  the  Duke  of  Richmond's  b.  c.  GhilHe 
CaUum,  Lord  Exeter's  Nutshell,  Count  Batthyany's 
Valentine,  Mr.  Merry's  Brennus,  Lord  EgUnton's 
Mavors,  Sir  G.  Heathcote's  br.  c.  by  Sir  Hercules.  The 
price  of  the  winner  at  the  start  was  16  to  1,  Clincher 
having  been  elected  favourite  at  odds  of  4  to  1  against 
him.  A  horse  named  Mildew,  the  property  of  Mr. 
Jaques,  was  second  in  favour  at  9  to  2,  atid  although 
Pitsford  had  won  the  Two  Thousand,  odds  of  12  to  1 
were  offered  against  that  horse,  which  was  the  mount 
of  A.  Day.  Butler  and  Flatman  were  the  riders  of 
the  horses  which  were  placed  third  and  fourth.  The 
race  proved  an  easy  task  for  Lord  Zetland's  horse,  who 
without  an  effort  quitted  Clincher,  who  was  with  him 
at  the  road,  and  won  by  a  length;  Pitsford  beat 
Clincher  by  half  a  length,  and  was  placed  second. 
205  subscribers  ;  value  of  the  stakes,  £4,975.  Voltigeur 
v/as  in  his  time  considered  a  grand  horse,  and 
possessed  a  pedigree  ( f  great  merit,  being — according 
to  sporting  historians — descended  from  the  Godol- 
phin  and  the  Darley  Arabians :  *  Every  one  of  the 
thirty-two  sires  and  dams  that  appear  in  the  pedigree 
of  Voltigeur  can  be  deduced  from  the  horses  just 
named.'  In  1874  Voltigeur  had  to  be  destroj^ed  in 
consequence  of  having  had  his  leg  broken  by  a  kick 
from  a  mare. 

Mr.  Hobson's  Rhedycina  won  the  Oaks,  F.  Butler 
being  jockey;    Mr.  Powney's  Kathleen  was  second. 


A  CHRONICLE  OF  THE  DERBY.  325 

ridden  by  A.  Day;  Mr.  Gratwicke's  Conn' ess  was 
placed  third.  This  j'ear  there  were  128  subscribers, 
and  fifteen  of  the  fillies  entered  came  to  the  post. 

The  value  of  the  Derby  Stakes  of  1851,  won  by 

Sir  Joseph    Hawley's    Teddington,   to   which    there 

1S51.       were  192   subscribers,  was   £5,325.      The 

Teddington  f^Q\^  numbered  thirty-three  in  all,  of  whicli 

the  following  four  were  placed  by  the  judge : 

Sir  J.  Hawley's  ch.  c.  Teddington,  by   Orlando  out  of  Miss 
Twickenham   ---------1 

Mr.  J  Clark's  br.  c.  Marlborough  Buck,  by  Venison  -  -  2 
]\[r.  Wilkinson's  br,  c.  IVeasham,  by  Hetman  Plato  If  »  -  .'5 
Lord  Enfield's  br.  c.  Hernandez,  by  Pantaloon       -        -         -  4 

These  four  were  ridden  respectively  by  Marson, 
Whitehouse,  Holmes  and  Mann.  Behind  the  placed 
ones  were  another  of  Sir  Joseph's,  The  Bass ;  two  of 
Lord  Eglinton's  horses,  Bonnie  Dundee  and  Hippo- 
lytus ;  Sir  R.  Pigot  ran  two;  Mr.  Merry's  Napoleon 
helped  to  swell  the  field ;  Baron  Rothschild  also 
supplied  a  runner,  as  did  Lords  Exeter,  Enfield,  and 
Chesterfield.  The  betting  was  3  to  1  airainst  Ted- 
dington,  7  to  2  against  Marlborough  Buck.  Tho 
favourite  won  in  a  canter  by  two  lengths,  beating 
more  horses  than  had  ever  before  ran  in  the  Derby. 
The  secret  of  Teddington's  probable  success  was  well 
kept,  and  a  pot  of  money  was  landed  by  the  '  lucky 
baronet.' 

Lord  Stanley's  Iris  won  the  Oaks  (the  jockey  being 
r.  Butler),  beating  Lord  John  Scott's  iliserrima,  Mr. 
Gratwicke's  Hesse  Hombutg,  and  twelve  others,  by 
three-quarters   of  a  length.      131    subscribers.     The 


326  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

Oaks  \\ inner  of  1851  'was  altogether  a  strong,  power- 
ful, but  by  no  means  handsome  filly,  of  very  high 
courage.' 

The  nice  odds  of  25  to  1  were  obtainable  against 

Daniel  O'Rourke,  the  winner  of  this  year's  Derby,  to 

.gr2        which  there  were  181  subscribers,  the  field 

Daniel      numbering  twenty-seven  starters.     As  ap- 

O'Eourke.  '^,  .  "^  ,  ,  ,  /. 

pears   to   have    been  the  rule  about   this 

period,  the  first  four  were  placed  by  the  judge.    These 

were  : 

Mr.  Bowes'  cb.  c.  Daniel  O'Rourke,  by  Irish  Birdcatcher  out 

of  Forget-Me-Not 1 

Mr.  Bradsbaw's  b.  c.  Barbarian,  by  Simoom  -  -  -  -  2 
Mr.  Dorien's  bl.  c.  Chief  Baron  Nicholson,  by  the  Baron  -  3 
Mr.  Merry's  Hobbie  Noble,  by  Pantaloon       -         -         -         -  4 

These  were  ridden  by  F.  Butler,  Hiett,  Kitchener  and 
W.  Sharp  respectively,  the  victory  being  accomplished 
by  half  a  length.  Little  Harry  started  favourite,  odds 
of  7  to  2  being  betted  against  him ;  4  to  1  was  offered 
against  Hobbie  Noble,  40  to  1  and  100  to  1  respectively 
against  the  Chief  Baron  and  Barbarian.  The  value 
of  the  stakes  would  amount  to  a  sum  of  £5,200 ;  the 
portion  allotted  to  the  second  horse  w^as  £100,  and 
the  winner  was  amerced  in  sums  of  £100  for  police 
expenses !  as  also  a  fee  of  £50  to  the  judge !  Two  of 
the  Duke  of  Richmond's  horses  were  among  the 
runners,  Joe  Miller  was  in  the  field,  and  Lords  Zethmd, 
Ribblesdale,  Orford  and  Exeter,  also  Lord  Eglinton, 
contributed  to  the  number  of  starters.  The  race  was 
Avon  by  half  a  length.  The  winner  was  bred  by  Mr. 
Bowes,  his  owner. 

Of  the  123  fillies  entered  for  the  Oaks,  fourteen 


A  CHRONICLE  OF  THE  DERBY.  327 

came  to  the  post,  the  victorious  one  being  Mr.  J. 
Scott's  Songstress,  by  Irish  Birdcatcher  ;  Bird-on-the- 
Wing,  another  Irish  Birdcatcher,  was  second ;  whilst 
Gossamer,  another  of  the  same  breed,  was  third. 
F.  Butler,  S.  Rogers  and  Job  Marson  were  the 
respective  jockeys  of  the  first  three  in  this  year's 
Oaks.  The  winner  was  bred  by  John  Scott,  the 
cslebrated  trainer.  The  value  of  the  Oaks  won  by 
her  was  £3,145. 

West  Australian,  one  of  the  few  wearers  of  the 
equine  triple  crown,  ridden  by  F.  Butler,  and  starting 

with  odds  of  G  to  4  laid  against  his  chance, 
West  Austra-    placed  the  great  race  of  the  year  to  the 

credit  of  Mr.  Bowes,  beating  twenty-seven 
opponents,  and  winning  very  easily,  as  a  reference  to 
AN'eatherby  shows.  The  judge  placed  the  first  four 
as  follows ; 

Mr.   Eowp.s'  b.  c    West    Australian,    by    Melbourne  out   of 

Mowerna  ..--.----1 

Duke  of  Bedford's  ch.  c.  Sittingbourno,  by  Chatham  -  -  2 
Mr.  Powney's  b.  c.  Cincas,  by  Touchstone  or  Epirus  -  -  ii 
Mr.  Ho v\ aid's  ch.  c.  Rataplan,  by  The  Baron  -         -         -  4 

Baron  Rothschild's  Orestes,  Lord  Londesburgh's  Tho 
Mayor,  Count  Batthyanj^'s  Stone  Plover  ;  Lords  Exeter, 
Derby,  Clifden,  Glasgow  and  Eglinton  also  contributed 
horses  to  the  field.  Mr.  Surtees'  Honeywood  started 
second  favourite  at  C  to  1,  but  was  not  placed ;  8  to  1 
Avas  betted  against  Sittingbourno  (second  in  the  Two 
Thousand  Gunieas),  20  to  1  against  Cincas,  and  30  to  1 
against  Rataplan.  194  subscribers;  value  of  the 
stakes,  £4,450.  The  '  West '  was  bred  by  Mr.  Bowes  in 
1850,  and  was  from  the  beginning  considered  a  horso 


328  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

of  mark,  and  besides  winning  the  great  triple  event, 
took  some  other  races  of  importance.  The  horse  was 
disposed  of  to  Lord  Londesboro'  for  a  sum  of  £4,750, 
and  in  the  end  became  the  property  of  the  late 
Emperor  Napoleon. 

Catherine  Hayes,  by  Lanorcost,  the  property  of  Mr. 
Waiichope,  started  favourite  (5  to  4  against  her),  and 
won  the  Oaks,  beating  Lord  Exeter's  Dove  and  Lord 
Glasgow's  Don  John,  as  also  Mr.  Stanley's  Nicotine 
and  thirteen  others,  among  thoin  Baron  Rothschild's 
Mentmore  Lass,  winner  of  the  One  Thousand  Guineas. 
Marlow  rode  the  Avinner,  securing  the  victory  by 
a  length  and  a  half.     141  subscribers. 

'Won  by  a  length'  was   the  verdict   given  when 

Andover  came  to  the  winning-post  in  the  year  1854; 

1854.       the  horse  placed  third  (Hermit,  first  in  the 

AiKiover.  rp^^^  Thousand)  was  the  property  of  the 
same  owner.  There  were  217  subscribers,  and  the 
starters  numbered  twenty-seven,  of  which  the  follow- 
ing four  were  placed  : 

Mr.  Gully's  b.  c.  Andover,  by  Bay  Middleton  out  of  Sister 
to  ^gis 1 

Baroa  Rothschild's  b.  c.  Kinof  Tom,  by  Harkaway  -         -  2 

Mr.  Gully's  b.  c.  Hermit,  by  Bay  Middletou  -  -  -  -  3 
Mr.  Copperthwait's  b.  c.  The  Early  Bird,  by  Irish  Birdcatcher  4 

The  riders  of  the  placed  horses  were  respectively 
A.  Day,  Charlton,  Wells,  and  Aldcroft.  Lords  Derby, 
Zetland,  Lonsdale,  and  Clifden  (2)  were  represented  in 
the  race,  as  also  Baron  Rothschild,  Mr. R.E.Cooper  (2), 
and  Mr.  Merry.  The  betting  was  5  to  2  against  Lord 
Derby's  Dervish  (Avhich  came  in  fifth),  7  to  2  Andover, 


A  CHRONICLE  OF  THE  DERB  V.  329 

8  to  1  King  Tom,  20  to  1  Early  Bird.     Value  of  the 
stakes,  £6,100. 

Mincemeat,  the  property  of  Mr.  Cookson,  won  the 
Oaks,  steered  to  victory  by  Charlton.  Lord  Derby's 
Meteora  was  second,  Lord  Bruce's  Bribery  third.  There 
were  156  subscribers,  and  tifteen  fillies  came  to  the 
starting-post.  Meteora,  which  had  gained  second  place 
in  the  One  Thousand,  started  favourite  with  odds  of 
6  to  4  071. 

1855.  Twelve    horses    only    started    for    the 

WiidDayreii.  Perby    of    1855,    the    following    four    of 
which  were  placed : 

Mr.  F.  L.  Popham's  br.  c.  Y/ild  D.ivrell,  by  Ion  or.t  of  Ellen 

Middletun        .         .         .         -" 1 

Mr.  H.  Hill's  br.  c.  Kingstown,  by  Tearaway         -         -        -  2 

Mr.  Merry's  Lord  of  the  Isles,  by  Touchstone        -         -         -  3 

Mr.  Adkin's  b.  c.  Flatterer,  by  Hetman  Plato ffi      -         -         -  -i 

The  other  runners  were  Rylstone,  Courtency,  Strood, 
Little  Brownie,  The  Cave  Adullam,  Dirk  Hatteraick, 
Corobeus,  and  Lord  Alfred.  '\  he  jockey  who  rode 
the  winner,  R.  Sherwood,  is  now  in  business  as  a  most 
prosperous  trainer  at  Newmarket.  The  race  was  Avon 
by  two  lengths.  Although  Lord  of  the  Isles  had  won 
the  Two  Thousand  Guineas,  Wild  Dayrell  was  made 
favourite  at  even  money;  7  to  4  against  Lord  of  the 
Isles,  12  to  1  Kingstown,  20  to  1  Flatterer,  who  is 
described  as  being  a  very  bad  fourth.  191  subscribers  ; 
value  of  the  stakes,  £5,075. 

Mr.  Rudstone  Read's  iilarchioness,  by  Melbourne 
out  of  Cinzelli,  ridden  by  Templeman,  won  the  Oaks 
of  the  period  by  half  a  length,  followed  home  by 
Blooming  Heather  and  nine  other  fillies,  the  property 


330  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

of  Lord  John  Scott,  Lord  Glasgow,  Lord  Cli;den,  and 
other  sportsmen.  One  of  the  competitors.  Nettle, 
ridden  by  Marlow,  fell,  her  jockey's  leg  being  broken 
in  consequence.     1G2  subscribers. 

Three  of  the  horses  which  ran  in  this  year's  Two 

Thousand  reappeared  in  the  Derby,  Yellow  Jack  being 

1856.       second   in    both    events.      Fazzoletto,    the 

Eiiiugton,  property  of  Lord  Derby,  who  won  '  the 
Guineas,'  although  he  started  favourite  for  the  '  Blue 
Kibbon/  only  attained  the  barren  honour  of  being 
fourth.  The  placings,  as  given  by  Weatherby,  were 
as  follows  : 

Admiral  Harcourt's  br.  c.  Ellington,  by  The  Flying  Dutchman  1 
Mr.  Howard's  ch.  c.  Yellow  Jack,  by  Irish  Birdcatcher  -  -  2 
Lord  John  Scotl's  b.  c.  Cannobie,  by  Melbourne  -  -  -  3 
Lord  Derby's  b.  c.  Fazzoletto,  by  Orlando       -         -         -         -  4 

Aldcroft  rode  the  winner;  the  jockeys  of  the  other 
three  were  Wells,  R.  Sherwood,  and  Flatman.  j\lr. 
Howard  and  Lord  John  Scott  had  each  a  couple  of 
colts  in  the  race;  Mr.  Gratwicke  also  ran  two  of  his. 
The  betting  at  the  start  was  as  follows :  5  to  2  against 
Fazzoletto,  7  to  2  against  Mr.  Fitzwilliam's  Wentworth 
(ridden  by  A.  Day),  6  to  1  against  Cannobie,  and 
15  to  1  against  Yellow  Jack ;  the  price  of  Ellington, 
the  winner,  being  20  to  1.  There  were  211  nomina- 
tions, of  which  twenty-four  appeared  at  the  starting- 
post.  Value  of  the  stakes,  £5,875.  A  veiy  brief 
account  of  the  race  is  narrated  as  follows  :  '  Won  by 
a  length ;  half  a  length  between  second  and  third.' 

Mincepie,  by  Sweetmeat,  the  property  of  Mr.  H.  Hill, 
won  the  Oaks  of  1856,  to  which  there  were  135  sub- 


A  CHRONICLE  OF  THE  DERBY.  331 

seribers  (or  entries),  ten  of  which  started,  -A.  Day 
having  the  mount  on  the  winner.  Lord  CHfden's 
!Mehssa  was  second,  whilst  Victoria,  the  property  of 
Mr.  Bowes,  ran  into  third  place.  The  race  was  won 
by  a  neck. 

This  was  BKnk  Benny's  3-ear,  Mr.  J.  Anson's  fine 

1857.         filly,  with  odds  of  20  to  1  betted  against  her, 

Bimk  Bonny,  ^yii^^jng  ()^q  ^ace  by  a  neck  in  the  large 

field  of  thirty  horses.  There  were  202  entries.  The 
following  were  placed : 

Blin'c  Bonny,  by  Melbourne  out  o£  Queen  Mary   -  -  -  1 

Mr.  Drinkald's  Black  Tommy,  by  Womersley         -  -  -  2 

Mr.  Mellish  s  b.  c.  Adamas,  by  Touchstone    -         -  -  -  3 

Mr.  C.  Harrison's  b.  c.  Scrathuaver,  by  Flatcatcher  -  -  4 

Charlton  was  the  winning  jockey  ;  Covey  rode  the 
second.  Wells  the  third,  and  Bumby  the  fourth  horse. 
Lords  Zetland,  Exeter,  Anglese}^,  and  J.  Scott  helped 
to  swell  the  field  by  starting  their  colts ;  Lord  Cilfdcn 
supplied  two  runners,  and  Baron  Rothschild  one.  Mr. 
Merry  ran  Special  License,  Lord  Anglesey's  colt  was 
Ackworth,  Mr.  Bowes  was  represented  by  Bird-in-the- 
Hand.  Mr.  J.  S.  Dou<j:las'  Tournament  was  elected 
favourite,  as  little  as  4  to  1  being  laid  against  it  at  the 
start.  Odds  of  1,000  to  5  were  offered  against  Black 
Tommy,  whilst  12  to  1  was  the  price  of  Adamas. 
Blink  Bonny  bec;uiie  the  dam  of  Blair  Athol,  winner 
of  tiie  Derby  in  1SG4.  Queen  Mar}',  the  dam  of  Blink 
Bonny,  was  presented  by  his  emplo3'er,  the  then  iMr. 
llamsay,  of  Barnton,  to  Mr.  J.  Anson,  wlio  disposed  of 
her  for  a  trifie ;  then,  after  a  time,  the  trainer  re- 
covered her,  with  the  result  narrated. 


333  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

The  Oaks  was  also  won  by  Blink  Bonny.  There 
were  130  subscribers,  and  thirteen  of  their  fillies  faced 
the  starter.     Charlton  rode  the  winner. 

Sir  Joseph  Hawley  was  this  year  the  happy  recipient 

of  the  two  great  stakes  of  the  Two  Thousand  and  the 

1858.       Derby.    The  first  event  fell  to  him  through 

Beadsman.  ^|^g  ^^^  ^>^  ^xtz  Ptoland,  by  Orlando  ;  whilst 

Beadsman  gave  him  the  '  Blue  Ribbon.'     Four  of  the 

runners  were  named  by  the  judge  ;  these  were  : 

Sir   J.    Ilawlej's   br.   c.    Beadsman,   by   Weathcibic   out  of 

JNIendicant -.1 

Lord  Derby's  b.  c.  Toxopbilite,  by  Longbow  -  -  -  -  2 
Mr.  Harrison's  b.  c.  The  Hadji,  by  Faugh-a-Ballagh  -  -  3 
Mr.  Howard's  b.  c.  Eclipse,  by  Orlando  -        -        -        -  4 

Wells,  the  favourite  jockey  of  Sir  Joseph,  had  the 
mount  on  the  winner.  The  other  riders  were  respec- 
tively Flatman,  Aldcroft,  and  0.  Fordham.  There 
were  200  subscribers  to  this  Derby,  twenty-three  of 
which  came  under  the  orders  of  the  starter.  Mr. 
Howard  had  three  running ;  Mr.  Gratwicke  ran  two  of 
his.  Lords  Glasgow  and  Ilibblesdale  had  each  a  horse 
in  the  field,  Brother  to  Bird-on-the-Wing  being  the 
first-named  nobleman's  colt.  Lord  Derby's  horse 
started  favourite,  with  odds  of  100  to  30  against  it, 
but  only  got  second,  the  race  being  won  easily  by  a 
length.  Ten  to  1  vvas  offered  against  Beadsman. 
Value  of  the  stakes,  £5,575. 

Mr.  Gratwicke's  Governess,  which  had  previously 
won  the  One  Thousand  Guineas,  won  this  year's  Oaks, 
ridden  by  Ashmall,  and  beating  (after  a  dead  heat) 
Admiral  Harcourt's  Gildcrmire,  Mr.  Jackson's  Tunstall 


A  CHRONICLE  OF  THE  DERBY.  333 

Maid,  and  ten  others,  including  fillies  started  by  Lords 
Derb}-,  Londesborough,  Clifden,  Portsmouth,  and 
Chesterfield.  Mr.  Merry's  Sunbeam  helped  to  swell 
the  field,  *  Won  by  three-quarters  of  a  length  '  was 
the  verdict  given  by  the  judge. 

Beadsman  proved  a  gold-mine  to  Sir  Joseph.  Not 
only  did  he  win  a  Derby  on  his  own  account ;  he 
became  th.e  sire  of  another  winner  of  that  classic  race 
in  Blue  Gown,  who,  ten  years  later,  became  the  hero 
of  the  '  Blue  Ribbon.'  Beadsman  was  also  the  sire  of 
Green  Sleeve,  the  winner  of  the  Middle  Park  Plate. 
Rosicrucian  also  was  sired  by  Beadsman.  Pero  Gomez, 
too,  was  a  product  of  the  same  sire. 

Sir  Joseph  was  again  credited  vviih  the  Derby  Stakes 

by  the  aid  of  Musjid  and  his  jockey  Wells.     Out  of 

jgjf)       the  246  horses  nominated,  thirty  came  to 

Musjid.  t,he  post,  of  which  the  following  attracted 
the  attention  of  the  judge  : 

Sir  J.  Hawley's  b.  c.  Musjid,  by  Newminster  -        -  -  1 

Mr.  C.  E.  Johnston's  br.  c.  Marionette,  by  Touchstone  -  -  2 

Mr.  H.  Hill's  ch.  c.  Trumpeter,  by  Orlando    -         -         -  -  3 

Mr.  W.  Day's  br.  c.  The  Promised  Land,  by  Jericho     -  -  4 

Rogers  had  the  mount  on  Marionette  ;  A.  Day  rode 
Trumpeter,  and  W.  Day  was,  of  course,  the  rider  of 
The  Promised  Land,  winner  of  the  Guineas.  Sir  J. 
Hawley  also  ran  his  colt  Gallus.  Mmy  of  the  other 
prominent  sportsmen  of  the  pei  iod  contributed  to  the 
field :  Mr.  Payne,  Mr.  Merry,  and  Baron  Rothschild 
among  others.  The  race  was  won  by  half  a  length. 
The  judge  had  placed  Ticket- of-Leave  second,  but  the 
owner  of  Marionette  made  the  claim  of  second  place 


334  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

for  his  horse,  which  was  allowed  by  the  judge.  Musjid 
was  fovourite  in  the  betting,  the  odds  being  quoted  at 
9  to  4  against  him  ;  the  quotation  against  Promised 
Land  was  7  to  2.  Value  of  the  stakes,  £5,400, 
Musjid,  it  may  be  mentioned,  was  bought  by  Sir 
Joseph  as  a  two-year-old,  at  Tickhill,  for  a  very  small 
sum  ;  but  the  Lord  of  Kingsclere  won  a  large  amount 
of  money  by  his  victory. 

Lord  Londesboro's  br.  f.  Summerside,  by  West 
Australian,  won  the  Oaks,  beating  fourteen  opponents, 
George  Fordham  being  the  rider.  Scent  was  second, 
Wild  Rose  third,  and  Mayonnaise,  winner  of  the  One 
Thousand,  fourth.  There  were  168  subscribers,  and 
the  winner  won  by  half  a  length. 

Custance,  on  Thormanby,  won  this  year's  race  for  Mr. 
jggo_       Merry,  having  a  field  of  twenty-nine  horses 
Thormanby.  behind  him,  there  having  been  224  entries. 
Four  were  placed  by  the  judge  : 

Mr.  Merry's  ch.  c.  Thormanby,  by  Melbourne  or  Windbound  -  1 

Mr.  Nichols'  b.  c.  The  Wizard,  by  West  Australian         -  -  2 

Captain  Christie's  b.  c.  Horror,  by  Wild  Dayrell     -         -  -  3 

Count  F.  de  Lagrange's  ch.  c.  Danger,  by  Fitz-Gladiator  -  4 

The  Wizard,  which  had  won  the  Two  Thousand, 
was  made  favourite,  3  to  1  being  laid  against  him  ;  4  to 
1  against  Thormanby  was  the  price  of  the  winner. 
Mr,  Merry  had  two  strings  to  his  bow  that  year — 
Northern  Light,  by  Chanticleer,  running,  for  him.  Sir 
Joseph  Hawley  also  ran  a  couple  of  his  horses.  Lord 
Palmerston  had  a  try  with  Mainstower,  and  Lords 
Stamford,  Strathmore,  Derby,  Portsmouth,  Glasgow,  and 
Zetland  also  supplied  runners,  as  did  Baron  Rothschild. 


A  CHRONICLE  OF  THE  DERBY.  335 

Mr.  Ton  Brocck's  Umpire,  wliicli  was  causelessly  ob- 
jected to  by  Mr.  John  Wyatt,  the  owner  of  Nutwith, 
also  ran.  Captain  Little,  Sir  Charles  Monck,  and  Mr. 
I'Anson  were  also  represented  in  the  Derby  of  18G0. 
French  had  the  mount  on  the  second  horse,  Chal- 
loner  being  on  Horror.  The  value  of  the  stakes  in 
Thormanby's  year  amounted  to  £G,850. 

Mr.  Eastwood's  Butterfly  won  the  Oaks  of  18G0,  and 
was  followed  home  by  Avalanche,  Contadina,  Rupee, 
and  other  nine  runners.  The  winner  was  steered  to 
victory  by  James  Snowden,  Wells  having  the  mount 
on  the  second,  L.  Snowden  riding  the  third.  The 
race  was  won  by  half  a  length.  There  were  158 
subscribers. 

•  The  opinion  of  all  who  witnessed  this  year's  Derby 
jggj         was   that,   had   not    Mr.    Merry's   Dundee 

Kettledrum,  broken  down  just  as  victory  was  within  his 
grasp,  he  would  have  been  returned  the  winner  of 
the  great  race  ;  as  it  happened,  running  on  three 
legs,  he  was  beaten  by  a  length  for  the  premiership. 
The  placings  were  as  follows  : 

Colonel  Towneley's  ch.  c.  Kettledrum,  by  Rntaplan  -  -  1 

Mr.  Merry's  b.  c.  Dundee,  by  Lord  of  the  Isl^s       -  -  -  2 

Lord  Stamford's  ch.  c.  Diophantus,  by  Orlando      -  -  -  3 

Mr.  Hamilton's  b.  c.  Aurelian,  by  Stockwell  -        -  -  -  4 

Bullock,  Custance,  A.  Edwards,  and  J.  Goater  were 
the  respective  riders  of  the  placed  horses.  There  were 
236  entries  and  eighteen  runners.  Diophantus,  which 
had  placed  the  Two  Thousand  Guineas  to  the  credit  of 
his  noble  owner,  was  nearly  as  good  a  favourite  at  the 
start  as  Dundee,  their  respective  prices  being  3  to  1 
and  4  to  1.     The  odds  quoted  against  the  winner  at 


336         THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

starting  were  IG  to  1.  York  Minster  ran  for  Mr. 
Townley  ;  Mr.  Merry's  horse,  Russley,  also  ran  ;  and 
Count  de  Lagrange,  Lord  Glasgow,  Lord  Stamford, 
and  Sir  Joseph  Hawley  were  likewise  represented  in 
the  race.     Value  of  the  stakes,  £6,3-50. 

Nemesis,  the  winner  of  the  One  Thousand  Guineas, 
was  made  favourite  for  the  Oaks,  along  with  Fair- 
water,  but  the  '  Garter '  of  the  year  fell  to  Mr.  Saxon, 
by  the  aid  of  his  filly  Brown  Duchess,  which,  ridden 
by  Luke  Snowden,  won  the  race  by  a  neck.  Mr, 
Harrison's  Lady  Ripon  was  second,  and  Fairwater 
third.  Lords  Ailesbury,  Chesterfield,  and  Stamford 
were  represented  in  the  race,  as  also  Baron  Rothschild 
and  Count  de  Lagrange.  There  were  171  subscribers, 
and  the  field  embraced  seventeen  starters. 

'  Forty  to  one  against  Caractacus '  was  on  offer  on 
the  4th  day  of  June,  1862,  the  Marquis,  winner  of 
jg^^o  the  Two  Thousand,  and  Mr.  Merry's  Buck- 
Caractacus.  stonc,  being  respectively  first  and  second 
favourites  at  odds  of  5  to  2  and  100  to  30  against 
their  chances.  The  following  are  the  names  of  the 
first  four : 

Mr.  Snewing's  b.  c.  Caractacus,  by  Kingston  -  -  -  -  x 

Mr.  S.  Hawke's  b.  c.  The  Marquis,  by  Stockwell  -  -  -  2 

Mr.  Merry's  br.  c.  Buckstone,  by  Voltigeur    -  -  -  -  3 

Mr.  Jackson's  br.  c.  Neptuuus         -         -         -  -  -  -  4 

The  jockeys,  in  their  order,  were  J.  Parsons,  Ashmall, 
n.  Grimshaw,  and  Bullock.  There  were  thirty-four 
runners,  among  the  lot  being  three  of  Lord  Glasgow's 
unnamed  ones ;  Sir  J.  Hawley  ran  two  of  his  colts. 
Argonaut  and  St.  Alexis ;  Mr.  Parr  also  had  two  in 
the  field  ;  Mr.  Merry,  in  addition  to  Buckstone,  ran 


A  CHRONICLE  OF  THE  DERBY.  337 

The  Knave  ;  Lord  Stamford  ran  his  br.  c.  Ensign, 
which  was  left  so  far  behind  at  the  start  as  to  lead  to 
a  complaint  being  made  by  his  lordship  against  the 
starter,  Mr.  McGeorge,  who  was  severely  reprimanded 
for  starting  the  horses  in  advance  of  the  starting-post. 
*  A  repetition  of  the  offence,'  said  tlie  stewards,  '  will 
justify  his  dismissal.'  Won  by  a  neck  ;  a  length  and 
a  half  between  second  and  third.  There  were  233 
subscribers,  so  that  in  Caractacus's  /ear  the  value  of 
the  stakes  must  have  araoimtcd  to  the  handsome  sum 
of  £6,675. 

With  odds  of  20  to  1  laid  against  her,  Mr.  Nayloi's 
ch.  f.  Feu  de  Joie,  ridden  by  Challoner,  won  the  Oaks, 
followed  home  by  Imperatrice,  Hurricane,  Avinner  of 
the  One  Thousand  Guineas,  and  sixteen  others,  the 
entries  having  numbered  124.  Won  by  two  lengths 
was  the  verdict  of  the  judge. 

Thirty-one  horses  started  on  the  20th  of  May  for 

this  year's  race,  the  tield  being  swelled  by  three  of 

jgg3       Lord  Glasgow's,  Rapid  Rhone,  one  of  the 

Macaroni,  number,  being  placed  third.  Count  de 
Lagrange  supplied  two  of  the  number  that  ran,  as  did 
Mr.  Naylor,  one  being  the  winner,  the  other  Aggressor. 
Lord  Palmerston  was  also  an  aspirant  for  Derby  honours; 
he  ran  his  ch.  c.  Baldwin.  Mr.  Bowes,  Mr.  H.  Saville, 
Sir  F.  Johnstone,  Lords  Strathraore,  Durham,  Stam- 
ford, and  Bateman  also  supplied  candidates.  The 
following  horses  received  honours  from  the  judge  : 

Mr.  R.  C.  Naylor's  b.  c.  Macaroni,  by  Sweetmeat  -  -  -  1 

Lord  St.  Vincent's  b.  c.  Lord  Clifden      -         -         -  .  -  2 

Lord  Glasgow's  ro.  c.  Rapid  Rhone,  by  Melbourne  -  -  3 

Captain  D.  Lane's  b.  c.  Blue  Mantle,  by  Kingston  -  .4 


338  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

Challoner  had  the  mount  on  Mr.  Naylor's  colt,  on 
which  he  had  previously  won  the  Two  Thousand. 
George  Fordham  rode  Lord  Clifden,  which,  ridden  by 
John  Osborne,  afterwards  won  the  St.  Leger.  Doyle 
officiated  as  jockey  for  Lord  Glasgow,  and  steered 
Rapid  Rhone  into  third  place.  The  race  was  not 
without  some  untoward  incidents.  A  horse  named 
Tambour  Major  was  left  at  the  post,  whilst  two  of  the 
runners  foil.  The  verdict  when  all  was  over  was  : 
'Won  by  half  a  head.'  There  were  255  subscribers; 
the  value  of  the  total  stake  would  be  £7,100. 

Lord  Falmouth  won  this  year's  Oaks  by  the  aid  of 
Queen  Bertha,  her  rider  being  Aldcroft.  The  field 
numbered  twenty,  selected  from  a  subscription-list  of 
185.  Mr.  Harfrreaves  obtained  second  honours  with 
Marigold,  Yivid,  the  property  of  Count  de  Lagrange, 
being  third.  Odds  of  40  to  1  were  offered  against 
the  winner,  who  was  declared  victorious  by  a  head 
only. 

The  four  placed  horses  of  this  year's  Derby  were 
1864        supplied  by  Mr.  W.  I'Anson,  Lord  Glas- 
BiairAthoi.  gow,  Mr.   Merry,  and  Captain  A.  Cooper. 
As  signalled  by  the  judge  these  were  : 

Mr.  I' Anson's  cb.  c.  Blair  Athol,  by  Stock  well  out  of  Blink 
Bonny     ----------1 

Lord  Glas-gow's  b.  c.  General  Peel,  by  Y.  Melbourne  -  -  2 
Mr.  Merr)  's  b.  c.  Scottish  Chief,  by  Lord  of  the  Isles  -  -  o 
Captain  A.  Cooper's  br.  c.  Knight  of  Snowdea       -         -         -  4 

The  number  of  subscribers  in  Blair  Athol's  year  was 
234,  and  of  these  thirty  ran  their  horses.  The  win- 
ning jockey  was  J.  Snowden  (brother  of  Luke),  Ald- 
croft beinij  on  tlie  second  horse.     Amonsr  the  beaten 


A  CHRONICLE  OF  THE  DERB  Y.  339 

lot  were  the  colts  of  Lord  Westmoreland,  who  sent  two 
to  the  post,  as  did  Lord  Glasgow,  his  lordship's  second 
horse  beinof  Strafford.  Mr.  H.  Hill's  Ackworth  and 
Copenhagen  also  ran.  Mr.  Naylor  helped  the  field 
with  two  of  his,  whilst  Mr,  Ten  Broeck  and  Sir  Joseph 
Hawley  were  also  represented.  Mr.  Hodgman,  Sir  F. 
Johnstone,  Mr.  Saville,  and  other  good  patrons  of  the 
turf,  sent  their  horses  to  the  starting-post.  At  one 
j)oint  of  the  struggle  it  was  thought  that  General  Peel 
had  the  race  at  his  mercy,  and  loud  cries  Avent  up  of 
'  Lord  Glasi^ow  wins !'  but  the  winner  was  not  lonsf 
left  in  doubt,  as  IJlair  Athol,  who  had  been  ridden 
hard  all  along  the  line,  won  easily  enough  in  the  end 
by  two  lengths,  the  General  having  '  tired  to  nothing ' 
some  little  distance  from  home.  The  betting  was  as 
follows :  9  to  2  against  Scottish  Chief,  5  to  1  against 
General  Peel  (winner  of  the  Two  Thousand),  11  to  2 
afjainst  Birch  Broom,  7  to  1  ao;ainst  Cambuscan,  and 
13  to  1  as^ainst  Blair  Athol.  Net  value  of  the  stakes, 
£6,450.  Mr.  Jackson  was  reputed  at  the  time  to  have 
won  £30,000  by  the  victory  of  Blair  Athol,  whilst  he 
also  stood  to  win  £20,000  if  General  Peel  had  proved 
successful.  Mr.  PAnson,  in  addition  to  the  stakes,  took 
less  than  £10,000  out  of  the  ring.  No  bis^  sums  were 
won,  but  the  public  won  largely  in  little  amounts. 
Some  patrons  of  the  stable,  indeed,  were  under  the 
impression  the  horse  would  not  start !  Blair  Athol 
had  never  appeared  to  run  on  a  racecourse  till  the 
day  he  won  the  Derby.  He  was  considered  one  of  the 
three  best  animals  of  his  time,  and  it  was  hoped  that 
he  would  earn  a  great  reputation  at  the  stud,  at  which, 
however,  he  proved  a  failure, 

22—2 


340  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

Fille  de  I'Air,  the  property  of  Count  de  Lagrange, 
ridden  by  A.  Edwards,  won  the  Oaks,  with  odds  of 
11  to  8  laid  against  her;  Baron  Rothschild's  Breeze, 
ridden  by  Daley,  was  second,  the  same  owner's  Tomato 
being  third.  There  were  188  subscribers,  and  nineteen 
starters.  The  race  was  won  very  cleverly  by  halt"  a 
length.  The  winner  was  bred  for  her  owner  at  Dangu, 
in  Normandy,  where  was  situated  his  stud-farm  ;  she 
was  by  Faugh-a-Ballagh  out  of  Pauline,  her  sire  having 
in  his  racing  days  been  a  horse  of  great  reputation, 
having  won  the  St.  Leger  and  the  Cesarewitch,  carry- 
ing the  wonderfully  great  weight  for  a  three-year-old 
of  8st. 

As    *  the    French   year '   is   noticed   at  length   in 
jggg        another    part   of    this   volume,   it   is   un- 
Gkdiateur.  necessary  to  do  more  here  than  give  the 
names  of  the  placed  horses ;  these  were  : 

Count  F.  de  Lagrange's  b.  c.  Gladiateur,  by  Monarque  out 
of  Miss  Gladiator    --------1 

Mr.  R.  Walker's  br.  c.  Christmas  Carol,  by  Rataplan  out  of 
Middleton 2 

Mr.  Robinson's  ch.  c.  Eltham,  by  Marsyas  out  of  Butterfly    -  3 

Mr.  Spencer's  br.  c.  Longdown,  by  Rattle  out  of  Subtilty      -  4 

The  respective  jockeys  were  H.  Grimshaw,T.  French, 
S.  Adams,  and  J.  Osborne.  In  addition  to  the  above, 
there  were  twenty- six  other  horses  in  the  field.  Lords 
Stamford,  Poulet,  Durham,  Glasgow,  and  Westmore- 
land sending  runners.  Baron  Rothschild,  Messrs. 
Chaplin,  Merry,  Bowes,  and  T.  Parr  also  sent  their 
representatives.  The  net  value  of  the  stakes  (249 
subscribers)  was  £6,875. 

Mr.    Harlock's   Regalia  won  the  Oaks,  steered  to 


A  CHRONICLE  OF  THE  DERBY.  311 

victory  by  Jockey  Norman ;  Mr.  Kenny's  Wild  Agnes 
was  second,  and  Baron  Rothschild's  Zephyr  ran  third. 
Regalia,  with  odds  of  20  to  1  betted  against  her,  won, 
•hands  down,'  by  ten  lengths.  There  were  197  sub- 
scribers and  eighteen  starters,  the  net  value  of  the 
stakes  being  £5,300. 

"With  odds  of  6  to  5  on  him,  Lord  Lyon  Avon  the 
Derby  Stakes  in  1866.  the  richest  of  all  the  races  ibr 
1866  '^^^  '  Blue  Ribbon '  that  had  yet  been  run, 
LordLj-on.  ^\^q  j^q^  value  of  the  stakes  having  been 
£7,350.  The  owner,  Mr.  Sutton,  won,  it  was  said  at 
the  time,  £58,000  in  bets,  part  of  that  sum  being  the 
£10,000  to  £100  which  he  took  when  the  horse  was  a 
yearling.  Mr.  Sutton  was  also  in  this  happy  position, 
that  had  his  own  horse  lost  the  race  and  Rustic 
won,  he  would  have  landed  £17,000,  whilst  the  one 
that  was  placed  second  would  have  brought  him  half 
that  sum :  by  each  of  the  others  he  stood  to  win 
£7,000.  Lord  Lyon  had  previously  won  the  Two 
Thousand.     The  horses  placed  were  : 

Mr.  R.  Sutton's  b.  c.  Lord  Lyon,  by  Stockwell  out  of 
Paraclitjm         ...-..-.-1 

Lord  Ailesbury's  cb.  c.  Savernake,  by  Stockwell  out  of  Bribery  2 

Duke  of  Beaufort's  cb.  c.  Rustic,  by  Stockwell  out  of  Village 
Lass         .....--_.-, 3 

Lord  Exeter's  Knight  of  tbe  Crescent,  by  Knight  of  St.  Patrick  -i 

Mr.  Bowes  ran  a  horse,  of  which  Stockwell  was 
also  the  sire,  whilst  five  '  Newminstcr '  horses  took 
part  in  the  race.  Custance  rode  the  winner,  and  is 
described  as  havinfj  won  *  one  of  the  moct  excitincj 
and  punishing  races  ever  witnessed,  by  a  head  only.' 
O.ie  of  the  racing  papers  of  the  date  states  that, '  from 


3^2  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

being  first  favourite,  Lord  Lyon,  as  a  matter  of  course, 
was  the  idol  of  most  of  the  prophets  and  tipsters/  which 
meant  that  these  gentlemen  then,  as  now,  were  in  the 
habit  of  following  the  money.  Westwood,  Vespasian, 
Strathconan,  and  Monarch  of  the  Glen  were  among  the 
twenty-six  runners.  There  were  274  subscribers  in 
Lord  Lyon's  year. 

Tormentor,  the  property  of  Mr.  B.  E.  Dunbar,  won 
the  Oaks,  the  rider  being  J.  Mann,  Mr.  Merry's  Mirella 
being  second,  and  the  Duke  of  Beaufort's  Ischia  third. 
There  were  175  subscribers,  and  seventeen  fillies  came 
to  the  starting-post. 

Hermit's   Derby    was   in  some  respects   the   most 

sensational  of  all  the  long  series  of  these  races.     The 

18G7.       horse,  starting  with  the  wonderful  odds  of 

Hermit,  -yi)^  to  1  against  him,  won,  just  by  a  nook, 
one  of  the  most  excitirg  races  ever  known,  being 
remarkably  well  ridden  by  J.  Daley,  thus  enabling 
Mr.  Chaplin  to  win  the  Derby  at  the  third  time  of 
asking.     The  horses  placed  in  this  year's  race  were  : 

Mr.  Chaplin's  ch.  c.  lieriuit,  by  Newiiiinster  out  of  Seclusion  1 
Mr.  Merry's  ch.  c.  Marksman,  by  Dundee  out  of  Shot     -         -  2 
Duke  of  Beaufort's  br.  c.  Vauban,  by  Muscovite  out  of  Palm  3 
Duke  of  Hamilton's  b.  c.  Wild  Moor,  by  Wild  Dayrell  out  of 
Golden  Horn 4 

Messrs.  -Saville,  Eastwood,  and  J.  Johnstone 
each  ran  two.  Amongst  the  horses  that  ran  were 
Taraban,  Tynedale,  Van  Amburgh,  The  Rake,  The 
Palmer,  Julius,  and  Uncas.  Vauban,  winner  of  the 
Two  Thousand  Guineas,  ridden  by  George  Fordham, 
started  favourite  in  Hermit's  year,  with  odds  of  G  to  4 
against  him ;  The  Palmer,  at  7  to  1,  was  made  sccoi  d 


A  CHRONICLE  OF  THE  DERBY.  343 

favourite.  There  were  256  subscribers,  thirt}'  of  which 
came  to  the  post.  The  net  value  of  the  stakes 
amouiited  to  £7,000.  A  volume  of  the  stories  circu- 
lated might  easily  be  collected  about  'Hermit's 
Derby  ' ;  many  of  them,  however,  were  not  founded 
on  fact,  while  the  best  of  them  have  been  so  often 
told  that  they  will  not  bear  repetition.  About  the 
jockey's  fee  for  riding  Hermit  absurd  tales  were 
related;  as  a  matter  of  fact,  he  was  promised  £3,000 
if  he  won  the  race,  and  he  got  the  money.  A  racing 
paper  of  the  day  stated  that  Mr.  Chaplin  won  £141,000 
in  bets  by  the  success  of  his  horse,  Avhich  has  since 
earned  a  fortune  for  his  owner  at  the  stud.  The 
horse  was  purchased  from  Mr.  Blenkiron  for  a  thou- 
sand guineas !  The  Duke  of  Hamilton,  who  had  laid 
£180,000  to  £6,000  against  Hermit  for  the  Derby, 
must  have  rejoiced  at  his  good  fortune  in  getting  the 
bet  declared  '  off'  long  before  the  day  of  the  race. 

For  the  Oaks  this  was  Hippia's  year,  ridden  by 
J.  Daley.  She  brought  home  the  *  Garter '  to  Baron 
Rothschild,  winning  the  race  in  clever  fashion  by 
a  length.  Colonel  Pearson  and  Mr.  J.  Osborne  ran  a 
dead  heat  for  second  honours  with  Achievement  and 
Romping  Girl.  The  winner  started  at  12  to  1,  3  to  1 
being  laid  on  Achievement,  who  was  made  favourite. 
206  subscribers,  eight  runners. 

The  eighty- ninth  Derby  was  won  by  Sir  Joseph 

Hawley,  his  horse,  Blue  Gown,  ridden  by  Wells,  being 

1863.       declared    the    victor.    Green    Sleeve    and 

Blue  Gown.  Rosicrucian    being     also    started    by    Sir 

Joseph.     Lady  Elizabeth   was   made  favourite,  odds 


344  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

of  7  to  4  bcino^  laid  ao^ainst  her ;  but  she  never  showed 
prr  ninently  in  the  race,  and  'the  Lady  EHzabeth 
scandal '  was  for  a  long  time  a  prominent  theme  of 
controversy,  whilst  the  fortunes  and  misfortunes  of 
the  Marquis  of  Hastings  have  been  over  and  over 
again  discussed  in  journals  and  other  periodicals 
devoted  to  the  interests  of  the  turf.  The  three  placed 
horses  were  : 

Sir  J.  Hawley's  b.  c.  Blue  Gown,  by  Beadsman  -  -  -  1 
Baron  Rothschild's  b.  c.  King  Alfred      -         -  -         -         -  2 

Duke  of  Newcastle's  b.  c.  Speculum       -        -        -         -         -  3 

Norman  rode  the  second  horse,  and  Ken3'on  had 
the  handling  of  Speculum.  Other  horses  of  note  in 
the  race  were  Mr.  Hodgman's  Paul  Jones  (which,  in 
expectation  of  its  victory,  had  a  large  following), 
St.  Ronan,  the  property  of  Mr.  Chaplin,  and  Lord 
Wilton's  See-Saw.  Baron  Rothschild  also  ran  Suffolk, 
whilst  Lord  Glasgow  was  represented  by  Brother  to 
Bird-on-the-Win<;.  Pace,  a  horse  belonsfinsf  to  the 
Duke  of  ^'ewcastle,  broke  down,  and  did  not  run,  but 
the  field  numbered  eighteen,  and  there  were  260  sub- 
scribers, the  value  of  the  stakes,  as  jjiven  in  the 
'  Calendar,'  being  £G,800.  Sir  Joseph  declared  to  win 
with  either  Rosicrucian  or  Green  Sleeve  in  preference 
to  Blue  Gown,  which  the  public  would  have,  despite 
the  fact  that  the  owner  would  not  have  it.  It  was  said 
that  the  jockey,  on  being  ottered  his  choice  of  the 
three,  selected  Blue  Gown,  which  started  at  odds  of 
7  to  2,  Paul  Jones  being  next  in  demand  at  8  to  1. 
The  race  was  won  by  half  a  length.  Several  mishaps 
occurred  in  the  course  of  the  struggle.  Samson  broke 
down,   and   Lord   Ailosbury's  Franchise,  a  chestnut 


A  CHRONICLE  OF  THE  DERBY.  345 

filly,  broke  her  leg,  and  was  destroyed.  Sir  Joseph 
sold  Blue  Gown  to  the  Prussians  for  £7,000.  During 
his  three-year-old  career  the  horse  had  won  £10,000 
for  his  owner  in  stakes  alone,  includin-jf,  of  course,  the 
Derby,  the  fourth  of  the  series  which  fell  to  the 
Kingsclere  breeder.  Blue  Gown  was  trained  by  Mr. 
John  Porter. 

The  Oaks  of  1868  fell  to  Formosa,  ridden  by  G. 
Fordham.  Lady  Coventry  ran  into  second  place, 
J.  Daley  being  her  rider.  Athena,  the  property  of 
Mr.  Padwick,  was  placed  third.  Lady  Elizabeth  was 
also  among  the  starters,  but  not  one  of  the  eight  fillies 
was  able  to  keep  Formosa  out  of  the  first  place,  which 
she  gained  by  ten  lengths.  There  were  215  sub- 
scribers, and  the  stakes  amounted  to  a  sum  of 
£5,4.50. 

Starting  '  first  favourite '  for  the  Derby  of  this  year, 
and  ridden  by  John  Osborne,  Pretender,  winner  of  the 
1869.  Two  Thousand  Guineas,  beat  Sir  Joseph 
Pretender.  Hawley's  Pero  Gomez  by  a  liead,  and  by  so 
doing  secured  the 'Blue  Ribbon '  for  Mr.  Johnstone. 
Many  persons,  however,  would  not  accept  the  verdict 
of  the  judge,  maintaining  that  Pero  Gomez  had  won; 
and  Avhcn  that  horse  won  the  St.  Leger,  in  which 
Pretender  was  not  in  the  first  three,  the  usual  cry  of 
'  Didn't  I  tell  you  that  ?'  was  everywhere  heard.  The 
three  placed  horses  were  : 

Mr.  J.  Johnstone's  br.  c.  Pretender,  by  Adventurer  -  -  1 
Sir  J.  Hawley's  br.  c.  Pero  Gomez  -         -         -         -         -  2 

Mr.  G.  Jones's  b.  c.  The  Drummer  -         -         -         -         -  3 

Wells  and    Morris    rode    the    second   and    third. 


346  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

Martyrdom,  Belladrum,  Perrydown,  Rhjsliworth,  Ladas, 
Alpenstock,  and  Ethus  also  ran  in  the  Derby  of  1869, 
for  which  there  were  247  subscribers  and  twenty-two 
runners,  the  stakes  being  valued  at  the  sum  of  £G,225. 
The  race  was  won  by  a  head,  there  being  a  length 
between  the  second  and  third.  Betting:  11  to  8 
afi"ainst  Pretender,  11  to  2  as^ainst  Pero  Gomez,  and  6 
to  1  against  Belladrum. 

Sir  F.  Johnstone  won  the  Oaks,  the  ninety-first  of 
the  series,  by  the  aid  of  his  filly  Brigantine,  which 
was  ridden  by  Cannon.  Sir  Joseph  Hawley's  Morna 
was  second,  and  Sir  R.  W.  Bulkeley's  Martinique 
third.  The  race  was  won  by  two  lengths,  Morna 
starting  favourite  with  odds  of  6  to  4  against  her. 
There  Avcre  187  subscribers  and  fifteen  runners. 
Value  of  the  stakes,  £4,550.  Brigantine  ran  in  the 
One  Thousand  Guineas,  being  placed  third.  Scottish 
Queen,  the  winner  of  the  One  Thousand,  was  not 
placed  in  the  Oaks.  Morna  achieved  second  honours 
in  both  of  these  races. 

It  was  not  to  be  wondered  at  that  MacGregor  should 

start  a  '  red-hot  favourite  '  for  the  Derby  of  this  year, 

jg-Q        seeing  that  he  had  previously  won  the  Two 

Kingcraft.  Thousaud  Guiucas  by  five  lengths — King- 
craft running  third.  It  will  be  Avell  in  the  recollection 
of  all  race-goers  that  the  defeat  of  Mr.  Merry's  horse 
caused  quite  '  a  sensation,'  and  that  all  sorts  of  ugly 
stories  Avere  circulated  regarding  the  untoward  event, 
which  affected  many  thousandswho  had backedhim,Mr. 
Merry's  horses  being  always  heavily  supported  by  the 
public.     No  true  reason  for  the  defeat  of  MacGregor 


A  CHRONICLE  OF  THE  DERBY.  347 

was  ever  arrived  at ;  but  many  suppositions,  some  of 
them  ugly  enough,  have  from  time  to  time  been  made. 
In  1870  the  field  numbered  fifteen  hor.Des,  of  which,  as 
usual,  three  Avere  placed,  these  being  : 

Lord  Falmouth's  b,  c.  Kingcraft,  by  King  Tom  -  -  -  1 
]Mr.  W.  S.  Crawford's  br.  c.  Paluierston  -         -         -         -  2 

Lord  Wilton's  bl.  c.  Muster    -        -        -        -         -        -         -3 

The  race  was  won  by  four  lengths,  T.  French  riding. 
MacGregor,  ridden  by  George  Fordham,  only  obtained 
the  fourth  place ;  Mr.  Joseph  Dawson  ran  two  horses, 
King  o'  Scots  and  Camel.  Lord  Stamford's  Normanby, 
second  in  the  Guineas,  also  ran  ;  the  third  in  the 
Guineas  was  Kinj^craft.  The  bettinsr  at  the  start  was 
9  to  4  on-  MacGregor,  20  to  1  against  Kingcraft. 
Muster  does  not  seem  to  have  had  a  quotation.  Two 
hundred  and  fifty-two  subscribers ;  value  of  the 
stakes,  £6,175. 

Fordham  rode  the  winner  of  the  Oaks,  Games,  the 
property  of  Mr.  G.  Jones,  which  won  by  a  length  from 
Mr.  Merry's  Sunshine,  Mr.  England's  Pate  being  third. 
Mr.  Joseph  Dawson's  Hester  was  made  favourite  at  even 
money  ;  the  price  of  Gamos  was  12  to  8.  One  hundred 
and  eighty-seven  subscribers  ;   seven  started. 

This  was  '  The  Baron's  year,'  and  there  were  many 

who  took  advantage  of  the  advice  given  to  '  follow  The 

187J        Baron,'  who  this  year  won  the  Derby,  Oaks, 

Favonius.  gt_  Lcgcr,  and  Cesarewitch,  as  well  as  some 
other  races  of  lesser  value.  A  felicitous  name  was 
chosen  for  the  Zephyr  colt  when  it  was  called 
Favonius.      In   1871    there    was    a   dead   h'jat    for 


348  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

vsecond  honours.     The  following  were  named  by  the 
judge : 

Baron  Rothschild's  ch.  c.  Favonius         -  -  -  -  -  1 

Mr.  Cartwright's  cb.  c.  Albert  Victor     -  -  -  -  -  f 

Mr.  Merry's  b.  c.  King  of. the  Forest      -  -  -  -  -  t 

Mr.  G.  G.  Keswick's  bl.  c.  Digby  Grand  -  -  -  -  4 

Both  well,  winner  of  the  Two  Thousand  Guineas,  also 
ran  ;  likewise  Mr.  Saville's  Ripponden  and  Mr.  Bowes' 
Field- Marshall ;  Messrs.  Chaplin,  Naylor,  and  H.  Jen- 
nings were  also  represented  in  the  field.  The  winning 
jockey  was  T.  French.  Custance,  Snowden,  and  Ford- 
ham  had  also  mounts.  Betting :  5  to  2  against  Bothwell, 
4  to  1  Albert  Victor,  8  to  1  Pearl,  9  to  1  Favonius. 
Mr.  Johnstone,  who  ran  two,  declared  to  win  with 
Bothwell.  Two  hundred  and  eight  subscribers ; 
seventeen  starters.     Value  of  the  stakes,  £5,125. 

Hannah  won  the  Oaks,  and  was  followed  home  by 
Noblesse,  Hopbine,  and  six  other  fillies.  '  The  Baron ' 
also  ran  Corisande,  but  declared  to  win  with  Hannah, 
who  was  ridden  by  Maidment-  The  Pearl  also  started. 
The  betting  was  6  to  5  against  Hannah,  who  won  the 
race  by  three-quarters  of  a  length.  One  hundred  and 
seventy- five  subscribers. 

*  Won  by  a  head,'  Avas  the  verdict  in  favour  of  the 
1872.       horse  which  came  in  first  for  the  ninety- third 
Cremorne.    renewal  of  the  Derby  Stakes,  beating  twenty- 
two  competitors.     The  following  were  placed  : 

Mr.  H.  Saville's  b.  c.  Cremorne,  by  Parmesan         -        -        -  1 

Mr.  J.  N.  Astley's  br.  c.  Pell  Mell 2 

Lord  Falmouth's  Queen's  Messenger       -        -  -         -  3 

Cremorne  and  Queen's  Messenger  ran  second  and 


A  CHRONICLE  OF  THE  DERB  Y.  349 

third  respectively  to  Prince  Charlie  in  the  Two  Thou- 
sand Guineas.  Landmark,  Almoner,  Wenlock  and 
Statesman  also  ran  in  both  races.  Prince  Charlie, 
although  placed  second  to  Wenlock  in  the  St.  Leuer, 
did  not  gain  honours  in  the  Derby.  Among  the  other 
candidates  for  the  '  Blue  Ribbon  '  were  Vanderdecken, 
Laburnam,  and  Bertram.  Maidment  rode  the  winner  ; 
Chaloner  and  T.  French  coming  in  second  and  third. 
There  were  191  subscribers.  Betting:  5  to  2  against 
Prince  CharHe,  3  to  1  Cremorne,  and  G  to  1  Queen's 
Messenger.     Value  of  the  race,  £4,830. 

Reine,  by  Monarque,  the  property  of  Mr.  Lefevre, 
ridden  by  G.  Fordham,  won  the  Oak? ;  Mr.  Cart- 
wright's  Louise  Victoria  being  second,  and  Guadaloupe 
third.  170  subscribers  ;  seventeen  runners.  Won  by 
half  a  lenq-th.  Betting:  5  to  2  against  Louise  Victoria, 
3  to  1  Reine. 

Gang  Forward  and  Kaiser,  who  ran  first  and  second 
in  the  Two  Thousand,  could  only  run  a  dead-he  it  for 
1373  second  place  in  the  Derby  of  1873,  which 
Doiicaster.  ^^s  won  by  a  horse  that  was  not  placed  in 
the  Guineas,  and  which,  starting  at  40  to  1,  was  evidently 
not  expected  to  do  much  in  that  race.  Six  of  the 
horses  Avhich  ran  in  the  big  Newmarket  event  formed 
half  the  field  at  Epsom,  the  rimners-up  being  : 

Mr.  Merry's  ch.  c.  Doncaster,  by  Stockwell  -  -  -  .1 
Mr.  W.  S.  Crawford's  ch.  c.  Gang  Forward  -  -  -  -  f 
Mr.  Saville's  b.  c.  Kaiser        .......        .-j- 

Montargis,  Beadroll,  Snail,  Andred,  Chandos,  Hoch- 
stapler,  Meter,  Somerset,  and  Sulieman.     F.  Webb  was 


3 so  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

the  pilot  of  the  winner  ;  Chalonerand  Maidment  beinj^ 
on  the  dead-heaters.  The  race  was  won  by  a  length 
and  a  half,  the  odds  offered  against  Doncaster  at  the 
start  being  40  to  1  ;  9  to  4  against  Gang  Forward, 
4  to  1  against  Kaiser.  Chandos  ran  into  fourth  place. 
There  were  201  subscribers.  Value  of  the  stakes, 
£4,825.  Doncaster  has,  it  may  be  said,  proved  a  gold- 
mine to  the  Duke  of  Westminster,  who  purchased  the 
horse  from  Mr.  Robert  Feck  at  a  cost  of  £14,000,  or 
guineas,  the  animal  having  been  bought  by  Mr. 
Peck  for  £4,000  less  than  that  amount  from  Mr. 
Merry,  for  whom  he  trained  it ;  it  has  been  said 
the  purchase  of  Doncaster  was  the  best  day's  work 
the  Duke  ever  did,  and  the  sale  of  the  horse  the 
worst  day's  work  ever  done  by  Mr.  Peck  ;  but  then 
it  could  not  at  the  time  be  foreseen  that  Doncaster 
would  prove  such  a  rare  good  bargain.  Mr.  John 
Corlett,  a  well-informed  writer  on  turf  affairs,  esti- 
mates that  the  horse  and  his  progeny  have  been 
worth  to  the  noble  Duke  considerably  over  £150,000. 

'It  never  rains  but  it  pours,'  says  the  old  proverb, 
and  in  Mr.  Merry's  case  it  proved  true,  the  Oaks  and 
also  the  St.  Leger  falling  to  him  by  the  aid  of  his 
charming  filly  Marie  Stuart,  which,  ridden  by  Cannon, 
beat  seventeen  competitors  (139  subscribers),  winning 
the  race  by  five  lengths.  Wild  Myrtle  was  second, 
Ano-ela  third.  The  odds  of  2  to  1  were  offered  against 
Marie  Stuart.  Marie  Stuart,  the  winner  of  both  the 
Oaks  and  St.  Leger,  was  purchased  from  Mr.  JMerry,  to 
whom  she  belonged,  for  a  sum  of  3,500  guineas,  by 
Mr.  W.  S.  Crawford. 


A  CHRONICLE  OF  THE  DERBY.  351 

Lord  Falmouth  ran  tvro  of  his  horses  in  this  year's 
Derby,  one   of  them   being  Atlantic,    the 
George     Avinner  of  the  Two  Thousand  Guineas,  but 
Frederick.    ^^^  ,  ^-^^^^  Ribbou  '  fell  to  another  gentle- 
man, Mr.  Cartwright,  who  also  ran  two  of  his  colts. 
The  three  placed  horses  were  : 

Jvlr.  W.  S.  Cartwright's  ch.  c.  George  Frederick,  by  Marsyas  -  1 
liord  Rosebery's  br.  c.  Couronne  de  Fer  -         -         -         -  2 

Lord  Falmouth's  ch.  c.  Atlantic      -         -         -         -         -         -  3 

The  name  of  the  winning  jockey  was  Custance. 
Among  the  other  runners  were  Ecossais,  Glen  Almond, 
and  Trent.  The  race  was  won  by  two  lengths.  Mr. 
Merry's  horse,  Glen  Almond,  started  fiivourite  at  9  to  2, 
9  to  1  was  laid  against  George  Frederick,  and  7  to  1 
ftfjainst  Couronne  de  Fer.  There  were  212  subscribers, 
twenty  horses  coming  to  the  starting-post.  Value  of 
the  stakes,  £5,350. 

Apology,  ridden  by  John  Osborne,  won  the  Oaks  by 
three  lengths  from  Miss  Toto  ;  Aventurine  was  among 
the  competitors  ;  Lady  Patricia  ran  third.  Miss  Toto 
was  favourite  with  odds  of  7  to  4  against  her ;  Apology 
started  at  5  to  2.     182  subscribers,  eleven  ran. 

There  were  198  subscribers  to  this  year's  Derby,  the 
1875        value  of  which  is  set  down  at  £4,950,  and  a 
Gaiopin.     fjeU  of  eighteen  horses  came  to  the  post, 
the  following  three  being  placed  : 

Prince  Batthyany's  b.  c.  Gaiopin,  by  Vedette  -         -         -  1 

]jord  Aylesford's  b.  c.  Claremout   -         -         -         -         -         -  2 

Lord  Falmouth's  Repentance  Colt  -        -        -        -        -  3 

His  lordship  also  ran  Garterly  Bell.  Count  de  La- 
grange ran  two  of  his  horses ;  Camballo,  which  had 


352  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

won  *  the  Guineas '  for  Mr.  Yyner,  a] so  ran,  but  was 
not  placed.  Balfe,  Earl  of  Dartrey,  Temple  Bar,  and 
Woodlands  helped  to  strengthen  the  field.  The  placed 
jockeys  were  Morris,  Maidment,  and  F.  Archer.  Bet- 
ting :  2  to  1  against  Galopin,  100  to  12  against  Balfe, 
9  to  1  against  Camballo,  100  to  7  against  Claremont. 
Won  by  a  length. 

Loid  Falmouth  ran  two  in  the  Oaks,  and  won  with 
Spi  laway,  ridden  by  F.  Archer;  he  also  ran  second 
with  Lad3dove,  ridden  by  Constable.  Th^re  were  seven 
runners,  the  nvnnber  of  subscribers  being  128.  The 
race  was  won  by  three  lengths. 

The  race  for  the  Derby  Stakes,  run  on  Wednesday, 

May  31st,  was  won  by  Kisber,  says  a  brief  chronicle  of 

jgyg        the   race,   '  in   a   canter,  by   five  lengths.' 

Kisber.  There  were  226  subscribers,  and  fifteen 
horses  faced  the  starter ;  these  were  Mr.  Baltazzi's 
Kisber  (the  winner),  Forerunner  (second),  Julius 
Caesar  (third — second  in  the  Two  Thousand  Guineas), 
Tetrarch  (winner  of  the  Two  Thousand  and  St.  Leger), 
All  Heart,  Father  Claret,  Bay  Wyndham,  Skylark, 
Great  Tom,  Coltness,  Hardrada,  Braconnier,  Wild 
Tommy  (afterwards  second  in  the  St.  Leger),  Advance, 
and  Wisdom.  The  betting  was  7  to  2  against  Mr. 
Baltazzi's  colt  and  2  to  1  against  the  favourite, 
Petrarch,  the  winner  of  the  '  Guineas,'  which,  however, 
only  gained  fourth  honours.  Maidment  rode  the 
winner,  Webb,  Cannon,  and  Morris  having  the  mounts 
on  the  other  placed  horses.  Value  of  the  stakes, 
£5,575. 

'  The  Oaks  Stakes  of  £4,000,'  saj^s  a  racing  writer  of 


A  CHRONICLE  OF  THE  DERBY.  353 

tlie  period,  '  resulted  in  a  dead-lieat  between  Mr. 
Lupin's  Enguerraiide,by  Yermout.and  LordFalraoulli's 
Camelia,  and  the  first-named,  having  wallced  over,  was 
considered  the  winner,  but  the  stakes  were  divided.' 
The  winner  was  ridden  by  Hudson,  Glover  having  the 
mount  on  Camelia.  There  were  164-  subscribers,  and 
the  field  comprised  fourteen  horses. 

Silvio,  the  property  of  Lord  Falmouth,  by  the  aid 
of  F.  Archer — now  started  on  his  career  as  an  able  and 
1S77  prosperous  jocke}' — won  this  year's  Derby 
savio.  by  half  a  length.  There  were  245  sub- 
scribers, and  seventeen  horses  came  to  the  starting- 
post,  of  which  four  were  placed  by  the  judge;  these 
were  : 

Lord  Falmo'ith's  b.  c.  Silvio,  by  B'air  Athol  .  -  »  -  1 
Mr.  W.  S.  IVIitchell  Innes's  b.  c.  Glen  Artbur  -  -  -  2 
Mr.  J.  T.  Jlackenzie's  cb.  c.  Rob  Roy  -  -  -  -  -  3 
Mr.  W.  Bevill's  b.  c.  Rhidoroch 4 

Other  runners  were  Thunderstone,  Chamant,  Don 
Carlos,  and  Touchet.  Rob  Roy  was  elected  favourite 
in  the  betting,  with  odds  of  3  to  1  offered  against  him ; 
the  price  of  the  wmner  was  100  to  9.  Weatherby 
gives  the  value  of  the  race  at  £6,050,  but,  according 
to  Cocker,  the  amount  should  be  £6,550 ;  a  sum  of 
£450  deducted  for  second  and  third  would  therefore 
leave  £6,100  to  the  winner. 

The  ninety-ninth  race  for  the  Oaks  fell  to  JMr. 
Pulteney's  Placide,  ridden  by  H,  Jeffrey,  Belphoebe 
second,  Muscatel  third.  Lady  Golightly  and  five 
others  ran,  including  Lord  Wilton's  Quickstep.  The 
race  was  won  by  threc-auarters  of  a  lenoth. 

23 


354  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

The  ninety-ninth  renewal  of  the  Derby  Stakes  was 
jgyg        contested  by  a  field  of  twenty-two  horses. 
Sefton.      To  the  race  of  1878  there  were  231  sub- 
scribers.    The  following  were  placed  : 

Mr.  W.  S.  Crawfurd's  b.  c.  Sefton,  by  Speculum    -         -         -  1 
Count  F.  de  Lagrange's  bl.  c.  Iiisulaire  -         -         -         -  2 

Lord  Falmouth's  b.  c.  Ohilderic      -        -        -        -        -        -  3 

The  jockeys  of  these  horses  were  Constable,  Goater, 
and  Archer;  the  race  was  won  by  a  length  and  a  half. 
In  the  field  were  Thurio,  Attalus,  and  two  of  Count 
de  Lagrange's  horses,  in  addition  to  tlie  one  placed 
second,  which  started  favourite  with  odds  of  100  to  80 
betted  as^ainst  it.  Bonnie  Scotland,  one  of  Lord  Rose- 
bery's — his  lordship  ran  two — was  second  favourite; 
100  to  12  was  laid  acjainst  Sefton.  The  value  of  the 
race,  as  given  in  the  '  Book  (Calendar,'  was  £5,825. 

On  Friday,  June  7th,  was  run  the  hundredth  Oaks, 
which  Avas  secured  by  Lord  Falmouth  by  the  aid  of 
Jannctto,  ridden  by  F.  Archer.  Pilgrimage,  the  pro- 
perty of  Lord  Lonsdale,  was  second,  and  was  made 
favourite  m  the  betting  at  even  money,  in  consequence, 
no  doubt,  of  its  victory  in  the  Two  Thousand  and  One 
Thousand  Guineas,  in  the  latter  of  which  she  beat 
Jannette  by  three-quarters  of  a  length.  Clementina 
was  third  in  both  races.     212  subsci-ibers;  eight  ran. 

The  one  hundredth  renewal  of  the  Derby  Stakes,  run 

on  Wednesday,  May  28th,  was  signalized  by  a  circum- 

jgyg        stance  with  which  many  persons  were  grati- 

Sir  Bevys.  fjed :  it  was  the  winning  of  the  Derby  by 
George  Fordham,  atone  period  the  'chief  jockey '  of  the 


A  CIIROMCLE  OF  THE  DERBY.  355 

United  Kingdom,  and  undoubtedly  an  able  and  honest 
horseman,  who  had  often  before  been  entrusted  with  a 
'  Derby  mount,'  but  had  never  proved  successful.  The 
hoi-se  he  rode  was  Sir  Bevys,  which  started  at  the 
odds  of  20  to  1,  and  was  said  to  have  Avon  the  race 
because  '  the  state  of  the  ground  made  it  heavy  going,' 
etc.,  etc.     The  first  three  were : 

Mr,  Acton's  br.  c.  Sir  Bevys,  by  FavoniiK  -  -  -  -  1 
Mr.  J.  Trotter's  ch.  c.  Palmbearcr  -         -         >         -         -  2 

Lord  Rosebery's  br,  c.  Visconti      -         -         ^         -         -         -  3 

Lord  Falmouth's  Charibert,  winner  of  '  the  Guineas,' 
also  ran ;  likewise  Victor  Chief,  Cadogan,  Rayon  d'  Or, 
Zut,  and  Riiporra.  The  betting  was  9  to  2  against 
Cadoi^'an,  5  to  1  against  Victor  Chief,  6  to  1  accainst 
Charibert,  ^^  to  1  Visconti,  and  100  to  1  Palmbearer. 
'  Won  by  three-quarters  of  a  length  ;  alength  between 
the  second  and  third.'  278  subscribers ;  twenty- 
three  runners.  The  value  of  the  stakes  to  the  winner 
is  given  in  the  Calendar  at  £7,025  ;  but  if  all  the  sub- 
scribers paid,  the  vahie  of  the  race  should  be  stated 
at  £7,525,  of  which  the  second  horse  earns  £300,  and 
the  third  £150. 

This  year  the  'Garter  of  the  Turf  was  awarded  to 
Lord  Falmouth.  Wheel  of  Fortune,  ridden  by  F. 
Archer,  won  the  race  by  three  lengths  in  a  field  of 
eight  competitors.  Mr,  Cookson's  Coromandel  IL 
took  second  honours,  the  Duke  of  Westminster 
running  into  third  place  Avith  Adventure.  189 
subscribers. 

.  Bend  Or's  Derby  may  certainly  claim  a  place  among 

23-2 


356  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

the  more  sensational  of  these  races,  seeing  that  the 
jggg  horse  was  objected  to  on  the  ground  that 
Bend  Or.  j^g  vvas  not  the  horse  he  was  represented  to 
be  either  in  the  entry  or  at  the  time  of  the  race  ;  and 
so  there  arose  what  was  known  at  the  time  as  a  '  Bend 
Or  scare,'  and  there  are  many  who  still  beheve,  not- 
withstanding the  decision  of  the  stewards,  that  Bend 
Or  was  a  changeling.  The  decision  of  the  stewards 
was  worded  as  follows :  '  We,  as  stewards  of  Epsom, 
unanimously  decide  that  the  chestnut  colt  Bend  Or, 
which  came  in  first  for  the  Derby  of  1 880,  is  by  Don- 
caster  out  of  Rouge  Rose,  and  therefore  the  objection 
lodged  by  Messrs.  Brewer  and  Blanton  is  overruled.' 
Additional  particulars  of  the  Bend  Or  fright  will  be 
found  on  another  page.  The  following  were  among 
the  runners : 

Duke  of  Westminster  ch.  c.  Eend  Of,  by  Doncastcr       -        -  1 

Mr.  C.  Brewer's  Robert  the  Devil 2 

Prince  Soltjkoff's  ch.  c.  Mask        -         -        -         -         -        -  3 

F.  Archer  rode  the  winner.  Muncaster  also  ran  for 
the  Duke  of  Westminster,  and  two  of  Lord  Rosebery's 
horses  helped  to  swell  the  field  ;  Mr.  R.  Jardine  ran 
Teviotdale  ;  Cylinder  and  Apollo  also  ran.  The  winner 
started  favourite  with  odds  of  2  to  1  betted  against  him. 
Yon  Der  Tann,  the  property  of  Lord  Calthorpe,  was 
second  favourite  at  100  to  15  against ;  Robert  the 
Devil's  price  in  the  quotations  was  7  to  1.  256 
subscribers  ;  nineteen  starters.  Value,  £0,375.  The 
race  was  won  by  a  head. 

Jenny  Howlet,  the  property  of  Mr.  Perkins,  starting 
with  odds  of  33  to  1  against  her,  and  ridden  by  Snow- 


A  CHRONICLE  OF  THE  DERBY.  357 

den,  beat  twelve  opponents  and  won  the  Oaks ;  Bonnie 
Maiden  second,  War- Horn  third.  Versign}^  was  made 
favourite  at  G  to  5.  187  subscribers.  Won  easily  by- 
four  lenfTths. 

This  may  be  called  the  American  year,  and  when 

the    made-up    word    '  Iropertow,'    denoting,    as    per 

1881        arrangement,   the   iirst   three  in  the   race, 

Iroquois,  -yyas  received  in  New  York,  the  rejoicing  in 
s])ortin2f  circles  was  somethinsf  wonderful  to  behold. 
The  word  is  composed  of  the  first  three  letters  of  the 
names  of  the  tirst  three  horses  in  the  race  ;  these  were  • 

Mr.  P.  Lorillard's  br.  c.  Iroquois,  by  Leamiagtoa  -        -         -  1 
Mr.  Grosvenor's  br.  c.  Peregrine     -         -         -         -         -         -  2 

Lord  Rosebery's  b.  c.  Town  Moor  -         -        -        -        -        -  3 

In  addition  to  these  there  were  among  the  starters 
Prince  Soltykoffs  Scobell,  Mr.  T.  Gretton's  Geologist, 
Lord  Rosebery's  Voluptuary,  Mr.  Keene's  Don  Fulano, 
Mr.  Lefevre's  Tristan,  and  eight  other  horses  belong- 
ing to  various  owners,  so  that  the  field  comprised  six- 
teen animals,  Iroquois  winning  the  race  by  half  a 
length.  The  American  horse  was  ridden  by  F.  Archer, 
Webb  and  Lemaire  riding  second  and  third  respec- 
tively. Peregrine,  as  winner  of  the  Two  Thousand, 
was  made  favourite  in  the  Derby  betting,  the  quota- 
tion beinor  6  to  5  against  him  ;  1 1  to  2  was  laid  against 
Iroquois,  which  was  second  in  the  Guineas ;  Geologist 
was  next  in  demand,  whilst  25  to  1  was  laid  against 
Town  Moor.  For  this  year's  Derby  there  were  242 
subscribers,  the  value  of  the  stakes  being  £5,925. 

Furdham  this  year  rode  the  winner  of  the  Oaks, 


358  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

Tliebais,  the  property  of  Mr.  W.  S.  Crawfiird,  whicli 
won  easily  by  three  lengths,  beating  eleven  competi- 
tors ;  Lucy  Glitters  was  second,  Myra  third.  There 
were  182  subscribers  to  the  Oaks  of  i881. 


Although  Shotover  won  the  Two  Thousand  Guineas, 

Bruce  started  favourite  for  this  year's  Derby,  ridden 

188'2        '^y    ^-    Mordan ;    but  that   horse   was  not 

Shotover.  destined  to  prove  the  winner,  as  the  follow- 
ing list  of  the  placed  horses  will  show  : 

Duke  of  Westminster's  ch.  f.  Shotover,  by  Hermit  -  -  1 

Lord  liradford's  b.  c.  Quicklime     -         -         -         -  -  -  2 

Mr.  P.  Lonllard's  ch.  c.  Sacheoi     -         -         -         -  -  -  ?> 

Mr.  IJ.  II V  mill's  b.  c,  Bruce   -         -  -         .  -  .  .i 

Among  the  other  ten  runners  which,  with  the  above, 
comprised  the  field,  and  which  were  afterwards  known 
as  horses  of  mark,  were  Lord  Falmouth's  filly  Dutch 
Oven  and  Count  de  Lagrange's  horse  Executor.  T. 
Cannon  was  entrusted  with  the  handling  of  the  Duke's 
lilly,  whilst  Wood  and  Webb  rode  the  second  and 
third.  Letting:  9  to  4  against  Bruce,  11  to  2  against 
Shotover,  10  to  1  against  Dutch  Oven.  Shotover  won 
the  race  by  three-quarters  of  a  length.  197  sub- 
scribers.    Value  of  the  race,  £4,775. 

T.  Cannon  was  so  fortunate  as  to  ride  the  winners 
of  both  races.  The  first  three  were  Geheimniss,  the 
property  of  Lord  Stamford,  Mr.  W.  S  Crawfurd's 
Marguerite,  and  Mr.  L.  de  Rothschild's  Nellie.  Lord 
Stamford  also  ran  Incognito,  and  Count  de  Lagrange's 
Lady  May  completed  the  field.  The  betting  is  re- 
corded as  being  G  to  4  on  Geheimniss.     There  were 


A  CHRONICLE  OF  THE  DERBY.  359 

150  subscribers,  the  value  of  the  stakes  being  £3,375. 
*  Won  by  two  lengths.' 

Eleven  horses  only  came  to  the  post  on  AVednesday, 
iggg        May  24th,  although  the  entries  numbered 
St.  Blaise.    215,  and  the  value  of  the  race  was  £5,150. 
The  first  three  were  : 

Sir  F.  Johnstone's  ch.  c.  St.  Blaise,  by  Hermit  •  -  -  1 
Lord  Ellesmere's  b.  c.  Highland  Chief  -  -  -  -  -  2 
Lord  Falmouth's  br.  c.  Galliard 3 

The  Prince,  Splendor,  Goldfield,  Beau  Erummel, 
Ladislas,  Laocoon,  Sigmaphone  and  Bon  Jour  were 
the  other  runners.  GaUiard,  as  Avinner  of  the  Two 
Thousand  Guineas,  started  favourite  with  odds  of 
7  to  2  betted  against  him,  5  to  1  each  against  The 
Prince,  Goldfield  and  St.  Blaise.  Charles  Wood  rode 
the  winner,  and  'won  by  a  neck'  was  the  verdict  of 
the  judge,  although  many  who  were  present  thought 
that  victory  had  fallen  to  Highland  Chief. 

Lord  Roseber}',  owner  of  the  Durdans  Estate  at 
Epsom,  whose  great  ambition  is,  it  is  said,  to  win  the 
Derby,  obtained  this  year  a  foretaste  of  good  fortune 
in  whining  the  Oaks  with  his  fill}'  Bonny  Jean,  whj  ;h 
was  steered  to  victory  by  J.  Watts.  The  betting  at 
the  start  was  5  to  1  against  his  lordship's  mare,  which, 
with  thirteen  horses  behind  her,  obtained  a  very  easy 
victory.     There  were  145  subscribers  to  the  race. 

,_,  The  hundred  and  fifth  Derby  resulted 

1884.  .  .      -^ 

St.  Gaiien  and  in   a   dead-hcat,  the  dual  winners    being 
St.  Gatien  and  Harvester,  who  beat  their 
eleven  opponents.     The  following  were  the  placings : 


36o  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

Mr.  J.  Hammond's  b.  c.  St.  Gatien,  by  Rotheihill  or  Hover  )  .. 
Sir  J.  Willoughby'.s  br,  c.  Harvester       .         -         -         .        j 

Sir  J.  Wilioughby's  ch.  f.  Queen  Adel.iide      -         -         -         -  3 

Mr.  W.  Stevenson's  ch.  c.  Waterford       -         -         -         -         -  4 

St.  Medard,  Talisman,  Loch  Ranza,  Ercst,  Bedouin, 
Beaucbamp,  Borneo,  Bichmond,  Condor,  Woodstock 
and  The  Hopeful  Dutchman  made  up  the  field  of 
seventeen.  The  jockeys  who  brought  about  the  dead- 
heat  were  C.  Wood  and  S.  Loates.  'Jlie  betting 
against  the  placed  horses  was  as  follows :  5  to  2 
Queen  Adelaide,  100  to  9  Waterford,  100  to  8  St. 
Gatien,  and  100  to  7  Harvester.  189  subscribers.  Value 
of  the  race,  £4,900.  Verdict,  'A  dead  heat;  Queen 
Adelaide  beaten  two  lengths.'  St.  Medard  and 
Harvester  ran  second  and  third  in  the  Two  Thou- 
sand. 

Mr.  Abington's  b.  f.  Busybody  won  the  Oaks,  Mr. 
Peck's  Superba  being  second,  Queen  Adelaide  third. 
Cannon  rode  the  winner,  which  started  at  odds  on  of 
105  to  J  00,  and  took  the  race  by  half  a  length.  148 
subscribers  ;  nine  starters. 

Twelve  horses   started   for   the  Derby,  which  was 
jgg5        run   on    Wednesday,    June  3rd,  to  which 
Melton,      there  were  198  subscribers,  the  value  of  the 
race  being  £4,525.     The  order  of  placing  was  : 

Lord  Hastings'  b.  c.  Melton,  by  Master  Kildare     -        -        -  1 

Mr.  Brodrick-Cloete's  Paradox 2 

Mr.  Child  wicks  b.  c.  Itoyal  Hampton     -         -         -         -         -  3 

F.  Archer,  C.  Webb,  and  A.  Giles  rode  these  horses; 
in  addition  to  which  the  following  ran  :  Xaintrailles, 
Red    Ruin,    Sheraton,   Choubra,    Esterling,    Crafion, 


A  CH  ROM  CLE  OF  THE  DERBY.  361 

Luminary,  Lj'nette  Colt  and  Kingwood.     '  Won  by  a 
head,  a  bad  third.' 

Lord  Cadogan's  br.  f.  Lonely,  by  Hermit,  ridden  by 
Archer,  won  the  Oaks  of  the  year,  and  was  followed 
home  by  St.  Helena,  Cipollina,  and  seven  other  fillies. 
The  winner  started  favourite  at  odds  of  85  to  40 
against  her.  There  were  144  subscribers,  and  the  race 
was  won  by  a  length  and  a  half. 

Winner   of  the   Two   Thousand,   Derby,    and    St. 
1836.       I''6ger,    the   Duke   of    Westminster   added 
Ormoiuie.    largely  to  his  turf  successes  by  the  aid  of 
Ormonde.     The  first  three  in  the  Derby  were  : 

Diike  of  Westminstei's  b.  c.  Ormonde,  by  Bend  Or         -         -  1 

Mr.  R.  Peck'.s  ch.  c.  The  P.ard 2 

Mr.  Manton's  br.  c.  St.  Mirin  -         -         -         -         -         -  3 

Button  Park,  Ariel,  Scherzo,  Coracle,  Grey  Friars, 
and  Chelsea  ako  ran.  Archer  rode  the  winner,  which, 
starting  with  odds  of  9  to  4  laid  on  him,  won  the  race 
by  a  length  and  a  half,  199  subscribers,  and  nine 
starters.     Value,  £4,700. 

Miss  Jummy,  the  property  of  the  Duke  of  Hamilton, 
won  the  Oaks,  beating  Argo  Navis,  Braw  Lass,  and 
nine  others.  Webb  rode  the  winner,  which,  starting 
at  evens,  won  the  race  by  half  a  length.  138  sub- 
scribers. 

Mr.  Abington  may  be  said   to   have   obtained  at 
almost  the  first  time  of  askinjj  what  other 

18S7 

Merry  Hamp-  men  have  tried   for  many  long  years  to 

obtain — namely,  the  honour  of  winning 

the   Derby — and  have  not  succeeded.      Of  the   100 


362  THE  BLUE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

subscribers  who  entered  for  the  'Bhie  Ribbon 'of  18S7, 
Mr.  Abington  was  the  man  to  whom  victory  fell  by 
the  aid  of  his  horse  Merry  Humptoi),  ridden  by  John 
Watts,  which  came  in  tirst  in  a  field  of  eleven,  win- 
ning the  race  by  four  lengths ;  Mr.  Fern's  The  Baron 
obtained  second  place,  Martley  being  third.  Among 
the  runners  were  Aintree,  Eiridspord,  and  Grandison. 
The  Baron  was  made  favourite  in  the  betting,  and 
started  with  odds  of  5  to  4  on  him ;  Eiridspord  and 
Martley  were  next  in  demand ;  whilst  the  price  of  the 
winner  was  100  to  9.  The  value  of  the  stakes  was 
£4,52.5. 

His  Grace  the  Duke  of  Beaufort  secured  the  Oaks 
by  the  aid  of  Reve  d'Or,  C.  Wood  being  the  successful 
jockey.  The  filly  started  with  odds  of  11  to  4  betted 
on  her,  and  raced  away  from  eight  competitors,  beating 
St.  Helen,  wlio  was  second,  by  three  lengths.  There 
Avere  142  subscribers  to  the  race. 

Ridden  by  F.  Barrett,  and  with  odds  of  6  to  5  laid 
jj^gj,        on   him,    Ayrshire   credited   the    ])uke    of 
Ayrshire.     Portland  with  the    '  Blue    Ribbon  of  the 
Turf.'     The  following  horses  comprised  the  field  : 

Duke  of  Portland's  Ayrshire  -        -        -        -        -  1 

1\.\\  Vyner'a  Crowberry  .-.-..-2 

Mr.  C.  D.  Rose's  Van  Dieman's  Land     -        -        -        -         -  3 

Galore,  Orbit,  Chillington,  Nether  Avon,  Simon  ruvc, 
and  Gautby.  Ayrshire  had  previously  won  the  Rid- 
dlesworth  Stakes  at  Newmarket,  beating  his  sole 
opponent  by  twenty  lengths.  The  Two  Thousand 
Guineas  was  also  won  by  the  same  horse,  beating  the 


A  CHRONICLE  OF  THE  DERBY.  563 

field  of  five  that  opposed  him.  There  were  1G3  sub- 
scribers, and  as  has  been  stated,  nine  runners,  the 
vahie  of  the  stakes  being  given  in  the  turf-guides  as 
£3,075.  Osborne,  Watts,  Webb,  and  Cannon,  as  also 
Loates,  Robinson,  Rickaby,  and  Elliot  had  mounts  in 
the  race,  which  was  won  by  two  lengths. 

Six  filhes  only  out  of  132  entered  came  to  the 
starting-post  to  compete  for  the  'Garter  of  the  Turf,' 
which  was  secured  by  Lord  Calthorpe's  Seabreeze, 
ridden  by  F.  Robinson ;  Rada  was  second,  and  Belle 
Mahone  third.  The  judge's  brief  descripticm  was: 
'  Won  by  two  lengths.' 

The  Derby  of    1889  requires  the  briefest   possible 

chronicle,  as  the  race  cannot  yet  have  been  forgotten. 

jggg        It  was  won  for  the  Duke  of  Portland  by 

Douovan.  Donovan,  Avhich  did  not  win  the  Two 
Thousand  Guineas,  but  afterwards  won  the  St.  Leger 
at  Doncaster,  and,  in  the  course  of  the  year,  several 
other  races.  There  were  thirteen  in  the  competing 
field,  the  first  three  bei£.g  . 


Tbe  Duke  of  Portland's  Djnovan  -         -        -        -        -        -  1 

Mr.  J.  Gratton's  Miguel -         -  -J 

Mr.  D.  Baird's  El  Dorado ;} 


The  other  horses  started  for  the  race  wore  Pioneer, 
Gay  Hampton,  Morgla}^  Laureate  (winner  of  the 
Cambridgeshire),  Enthusiast,  The  Turcophone,  Gulliver, 
Folengo,  Glover,  and  Royal  Star.  Donovan  was 
ridden  by  T.  Loates,  Miguel  by  G.  Barrett,  El  Dorado 
by  T.  Camion.     '  Won  by  a  length  and  a  half.'     1G9 


364  THE  BL  UE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

subscribers.  Value  of  tlie  stakes,  £4,550.  Betting  : 
11  to  8  on  Donovan,  25  to  1  against  Miguel,  100  to  8 
ao;ainst  El  Dorado. 

The  Oaks  of  this  year  was  secured  by  Lord  Randolph 
Churchill  by  the  aid  of  L'Abbesse  dc  Jourarre,  ridden  by 
J.  Woodburn,  Minthe  being  second,  and  Seclusion  third. 
'Won  by  a  neck.'  There  were  112  subscribers,  and 
twelve  came  to  the  post. 

The  Derby  stakes,  1890,  took  place  at  Epsom,  June 
4th.     The  weather  was  showery,  dull  and  unsettled. 

Eiglit  horses  faced  the  starter  and  the  race  was  won 
by  Sir  James  Miller's  chestnut  colt  Sainfoin  by  three- 
quarters  of  a  length.  Mr.  Lcfevre's  chestnut  colt  Le 
Nord  finished  second,  a  neck  before  the  Duke  of  West- 
minster's brown  colt  Orwell,  tliird.  Surefoot,  the  all 
winter  and  post  favorite,  was  fourth. 

The  result  of  the  race  created  the  most  tremendous 
excitement.  Surefoot,  the  winner  of  the  two  thousand 
guineas,  had  been  backed  to  win  to  the  extent  of  hundreds 
of  thousands  of  pounds.  Among  his  backers  were  large 
nimil^ers  of  the  aristocratic  classes  and  they  suffered 
severely. 

A  full  summary  of  the  race  is  as  follows  : — 

The  Derby  stakes  of  5,000  sovs.  for  the  winner,  500 

sovs.  for  the  nominator  of  the  winner,  300  sovs.  for  the 

1890.       owner  of  the  second  and  200  sovs.  for  the 

Sainfoin,  owner  of  the  third  ;  for  colts  9  st.  and  fillies 
8  st.  9  lbs. ;  for  three-year-olds ;  by  subscription  of  50 
sovs.  each ;  half  forfeit  if  declared  by  the  first  Tuesday 
in  January,  1890,  and  10  sovs.  only  if  declared  by  the 


A  CHRONICLE  OF  THE  DERBY.  365 

first  Tuesday  iu  January,  1889  ;  any  surplus  to  l^e  paid 
to  the  winner ;  about  a  mile  and  a  half,  startino;  from 
the  high  level  starting  post;  233  subscribers,  106  of 
whom  paid  25  sovs.  each  and  63,  10  sovs.  eaeli. 

Sir  James  Miller  cli.  c.  Sainfoin,  by  Springfield      -  -  -  1 

Mr.  Lefevre's  ch.  c.  Le  Nord.  by  Tristan         -         -  -  -  2 

l^uke  of  Westminster's  b.  c.  Orwell,  by  Bend  Or  -  -  -  3 

!Mr.  A.  W.  IMerry's  b.  c.  Surefoot,  by  Wisdom       -  -  -  4 

Mr.  N.  J.  Corballv's  b.  c.  Rathbeal,  bv  Boulevard  -  -  5 

Mr.  E.  W.  Baird's  b.  c.  GoMen  Gate, "by  Bend  Or  -  -  6 

3Ir.  James  Wliite's  ch.  c.  Kirkham.  by  Chester    -  -  -  7 

Mr.  James  Snarry's  b.  c.  JIastagon,  by  Bend  Or    -  -  -  8 
Time,  2:49i 

T]ic  Bettiiir/. 

40  to  95.  Surefoot,  1  to  8  place. 
7  to  1,  Sainibin,  1  to  2  place. 
]  4  to  i ,  Le  Nord,  4  to  5  place. 
14  to  1,  Ratiibeal,  7  to  1  place. 
50  to  ] ,  Golden  Gate,  4  to  1  place. 
50  to  1,  Kirkham,  Ah  to  1  place. 
100  to  1,  Orwell,  5  to  1  place. 
100  to  1,  Mastagon,  7  to  1  place. 

The  Race. — The  horses  got  away  at  the  first  attempt. 
Orv/ell  took  the  lead  at  the  start  and  made  the  running 
slowly.  He  was  followed  by  Sainfoin,  while  Le  Nord 
and  Surefoot  were  the  last  to  get  off.  AVhen  the  mile 
])Ost  was  reached  Orwell  showed  well  in  front.  In 
making  the  hill  for  Tottenham  Corner  Sainfoin  took  the 
lead,  and  coming  on  won  by  three-quarters  of  a  length. 
Le  Nord  was  second  a  neck  before  Orwell,  third.  Sure- 
foot was  beaten  500  yards  from  home,  and  came  in  a 
head  behind  OrAvell.     The  winner  was  ridden  by  AA'^atts. 

The  wiimer,  Sainfoin,  Avas  bred  at  Her  ^Majesty's  stud 
and  was  trained   by  John   Porter.     As  a  two-year-old 


366  THE  BL  UE  RIBBON  OF  THE  TURF. 

Sainfoin  won  the  Astley  stakes,  his  only  start,  and  won 
the  Dee  stakes,  at  Chester,  in  April  He  was  purchased 
by  St.  James  Miller  in  March,  1890,  for  £7,000  and  a 
contingency — half  the  net  amount  of  the  stakes  if  he 
won  the  Derby. 

MEMOIR  WINS   THE   OAKS,    1890. 

Oaks  stakes  of  4,000  sovs.  to  the  winner.  It  was 
won  by  the  Duke  of  Portland's  brown  filly  Memoir  by 
St.  Simon — Quiver,  Chevalier  Ginistrelli's  brown  filly 
Signorina,  by  St.  Simon — Star  of  Portici,  was  second 
and  Mr.  J.  H.  Houldsworth's  bay  filly  Ponza,  by 
Springfield — Napoli,  was  third.  The  other  starters 
were  the  Duke  of  Portland's  bay  filly  Semolina,  Mr. 
Manton's  chestnut  filly  Shall  We  Eemember,  Sir  W. 
Throckmorton's  chestnut  filly  Albertine  and  Prince 
Soltykoff's  chestnut  filly  Star, 

Semolina  was  first  away  and  held  the  lead  to  the  dis- 
tance post.  Here  Memoir  came  out  and  was  never  after- 
ward headed,  M'inning  by  three-quarters  of  a  length. 
There  were  two  lengths  between  Signorina  and  Ponza. 
Semolina  was  fourth.  The  winner  was  ridden  by  F. 
Barrett. 

The  last  betting  -was  4  to  1  against  Memoir;  even 
money  against  Signorina ;  1 2  to  1  against  Ponza ;  4 
to  1  against  Semolina ;  33  to  1  against  Shall  \Ye  Re- 
member, and  66  to  1  each  against  Albertine  and  Star. 


THE  END. 


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